At Gucci’s Autumn Winter 2024 show, Sabato De Sarno set out to subvert expectations.
Set in an industrial warehouse to a score by Mark Ronson, he achieved exactly that, debuting his second womenswear collection brimming with high octane glamour and unexpected detail.
“My dreams, as with my fashion, always converse with reality. Because I am not searching for another world to live in, but rather of ways to live in this world,” De Sarno mused in the show notes.
For Gucci’s Autumn Winter collection, this subversion came in many forms. From the outset, a neutral colour palette was punctuated with ‘ugly’ shades – think pops of lime green, ancora red, vibrant orange, and cerulean blue.
Textures took a similarly unexpected turn, with reconstructed lace, crystal fringing, and a kaleidoscope of sequins featuring heavily, and many taking on different shapes when viewed up close.
Unsurprisingly, outerwear took centre stage, with masculine silhouettes a contrasting balance to sheer lingerie-style slip dresses, monogrammed underwear, and utra-raised hemlines. These too, however, were not exactly as they seemed, with coats, bombers, peacoats and leather jackets all featuring hidden buttoning, which allowed the shapes to be transformed with ease.
De Sarno also unveiled a new handbag style for the house: the GG Milano. An elegant top-handled oblong shape, this simple style debuted in a series of covetable colours, from light white to powder blue. As for footwear, De Sarno reminded us of the brand’s longstanding connection to the world of equestrianism, with horse-riding boots fitted with the iconic Horsebit detail the MVP of the collection. And for the long-legged amongst us, there’s also an over-the-knee version.
