Sabato de Sarno decides to transfer a personal sense of encounters into this new Gucci Spring/Summer 25 collection: those between people, but also those between the precision of the cut, the path of the silhouette, and the electricity of color. The theme of surfwear reconnects the audience to the Creative Director’s passion for culture and for something he said he identified in William Finnegan’s memoir, Barbarian Days, which writes: he spends his twenties traveling the world surfing, having many experiences and encounters with different people, which helps him discover his sense of freedom. The long outerwear pieces in wool or leather with high vertical pockets and exaggerated openings at the back reprise elements already present in the Gucci journey, while the formal wear is declined in two forms: one with a single-breasted jacket with three buttons and pressed sleeves to preserve the silhouette, and trousers with a buttoned tab at the ankle; the other double-breasted, straight, and relaxed, made of very light poplin. The cotton jackets are very short – like the shorts – and zippered, the leather ones are oversized and have contrasting collars that look like corduroy, but are embossed leather, while the shirts are not classic bowling shirts but borrow the three pockets from the utility wear world. Sometimes they have beaded decorations or applied embroidered flowers. The long-sleeved polos are hand-worked with a sequin inlay. The sorbet green and yellow overcoats are decorated with fringes that echo the movement of the waves while accompanying the movements of the body, at the exact moment when the harmonic turbulence between competing colors in these looks becomes a testament to the opening statement of the collection.
“This collection speaks of encounters, between the city and the beach, between people who love life. In short, it speaks of freedom. I feel free when there is no distance between my words and my thoughts”.
I love fashion that embraces.
Leading stars: the prints. Present in three variations – all in multiple color combinations – they feature palms, dolphins, or hibiscus leaves on soft silhouettes made of shirting cotton. Some garments are bordered with pearl fringes, while others have the entire design in embroidered beads. Sometimes the prints appear on t-shirts worn under collared shirts, proposed in layered fringes or forward-facing, where the hibiscus variation is translated into a jacquard on indigo denim. Within the walls of the new Spazio Cuore at Triennale Milano, which resumes a vast activity of enhancement and restoration of the original design of the Palazzo dell’Arte created by Giovanni Muzio in 1933, the evolution of the Horsebit continues, featured on boots and loafers with a sculptural and sharp toe. A group of bags is presented in modular clusters: they are mostly inspired by the Gucci archival luggage, with the bonded logo on brushed leather, and a system of removable components, except for the B Bag which evolves into two new sizes – small and super super mini. The padded leather ones are as soft as pillows, with magnetic closures; the crossbody ones with a flap are closed by the iconic Gucci clasp. The clasp returns, this time in a double version to close the belts. Bracelets and necklaces are segmented in a bamboo-like pattern that echoes the surf theme. The glasses, worn or carried backward, have thick frames, supported by branded straps in vibrant colors. From spongy sunglass straps to soft and spongy fluo-patent crossbody bags, everything abounds with life and color.
“My work is not made to impress immediately, but to be approached and understood, like a person you discover over time”.
