On Friday, luxury house Gucci unveiled one of the most anticipated collections of the season: the first work designed by Sabato De Sarno, successor to Alessandro Michele. The bottom line: A sensual SS24 collection reminiscent of the era of Tom Ford, the Italian label’s former creative director.
In a red-hued semi-darkness, luxury fashion group Kering’s Italian label showcased several silhouettes in effortless looks that were a far cry from predecessor Alessandro Michele’s eccentric and maximalist style. However, Sabato De Sarno and his team did not ignore the party spirit associated with the brand.
The first look that hit the catwalk: black shorts combined with a transparent white top with a free neckline, which was worn under a long dark men’s coat. Accessories included a chunky necklace and a long-handled bag similar to the label’s classic Jackie 1961 model.
The rest of the collection maintains this clear and sensual tone. The silhouettes consist of streetwear pieces such as hoodies, slit skirts, boxy jackets, cropped pants, sexy babydolls and mini dresses with plunging necklines. The whole thing is reminiscent of the sexy aura of the Tom Ford era from 1994 to 2004, when the Texas designer worked at Gucci. According to industry magazine Business of Fashion, Gucci was valued at over $10 billion in 2004.
But Sabato De Sarno hasn’t forgotten the brand’s festive spirit. Sequins and glitter permeate the collection from the shoes to the long fringed skirts. When it comes to colors, in addition to a strong green and a swimming pool blue, the palette primarily relies on neutral tones: beige, black, navy blue, gray.
There is a lot at stake for the Italian brand today. Luxury goods group Kering announced in July that its net profit fell 10 percent to 1.785 billion euros in the first half of the year. This was particularly influenced by Gucci, whose sales fell by 1 percent.
This translated article first appeared on FashionUnited.fr