Gucci looks Costal Cool at the Triennial

As the sun finally appeared in Milan, Gucci designer Sabato De Sarno unleashed a Costal Cool collection inside the Triennale art space on Monday, the final day of the Italian menswear season.

Although the pre-show conversation was dominated by opinion about his predecessor, Alessandro Michele, who revealed his first ideas online in his new work Valentino, just three hours before this Gucci show.

Hardly an expression of creative collegiality, the gesture produced multiple reactions, not many of them positive, even before Sabato's first look hit the runway.

The Misura dell'Amore is Love without limit, read the deep purple inscription written on the entrance to the Triennial. Which means “The Measure of love is to love without limits.” Ironic, considering what every editor had received in their inbox this morning.

That said, De Sarno dedicated this collection to incontri or encounters. Most of his cast wear shorts as they set out to meet friends and new friends. In fact, the first quartet, finished with laminated trench coats in lime green and dusty pink, or dark cotton doublets. The same shades seen on treated canvas men's bags and a sleek mini Gucci B bag or a leather bag with the Gucci logo attached.

Expect a hot summer next year, where one can have fun with Sabato's three-pocket shirts made with embroidered flower prints and combinations of surfers, dolphins and banana leaves.

See catwalk

Although her smartest idea was a set of shirts and jackets with beading and mega fringes, perfectly timed for a season in which the clothes have flown on Milan catwalks all weekend.

De Sarno is no slouch when it comes to accessories either, and their new elongated horse buckle boot was undoubtedly the boot of the season.

Finishing with delightfully tailored formal jackets again paired with shorts. In fact, never in the history of Milan's big men's shows have there been so few male models wearing long pants.

De Sarno, with a big smile, ran out to take his bow, wearing a shirt jacket of his deep purple fetish, and earning a healthy applause. Since it was a definitive statement and very consistent with his plans for Gucci.

Although the applause had a certain touch of sympathy, given its predecessor's pre-show email explosion. Which made the whole event seem a bit like a Shakespeare play, a latter-day Richard III or Othello. I'm not really sure who should play the king… or Iago.