New Gucci designer blends elegance, fantasy
MILAN—Gucci’s new creative director Sabato de Sarno kicked off Men’s Fashion Week in Milan on Friday, blending elegance with fantasy in his first menswear collection for the iconic Italian label as it seeks to revive sales.
The 40-year-old Neapolitan playfully embellished a classic wardrobe with glittering chokers, sequined tank tops and satin bomber jackets.
The autumn/winter 2024–25 program, which runs until Tuesday, also marks the return of Fendi, which selected to present its men’s collection in its new leather workshops near Florence last June.
De Sarno, who spent 14 years at Valentino after stints at Prada and Dolce & Gabbana, took over at Gucci in January 2023.
He was brought in by French owners Kering to help relaunch the iconic but struggling luxury brand.
Gucci models strutting their stuff inside a huge hangar in Milan’s outskirts showed off ultra-long ties hanging down to their thighs, worn like scarves over double-breasted suits or even over a bare torso.“It’s a story of joie de vivre, passion, humanity, people, real life, irreverent glamour, provocation, confidence, simplicity, feelings and immediate emotions,” the designer said in the show notes.
The color palette is on the sober side, ranging from grey to royal blue, black to white, burgundy red and olive green, echoing the shades used in his first women’s collection, presented in September.Both collections confirm the break with former star designer Alessandro Michele, who was known for his eccentric designs and off-beat shows. —AFP
