Gucci‘s Fall/Winter 2025 show in Milan was a study in contrasts, blending decades of design codes while navigating the abrupt departure of creative director Sabato de Sarno and a steep decline in sales. The interim collection, created by the brand’s studio team, leaned heavily on archival silhouettes-mod-era shifts, Tom Ford’s velvet drama, and Alessandro Michele’s maximalist flourishes-but revealed little about the house’s next creative direction.
Women’s looks juxtaposed prim tailoring with subtle rebellion: lace-trimmed slips peeked out beneath textured wool coats, while slit pencil skirts were paired with oversized tweed jackets. Acid-bright silks in buttery yellow and mauve added excitement to otherwise polished separates. Menswear offered slim suits in vinyl or animal-print tweeds, their severity softened by leather mules that exposed the ankle in a subtle nod to sensuality. Common fabrics between the sexes, like lustrous, iridescent coatings, suggested a unified vision despite the transitional moment.
The show’s staging reinforced this limbo. A live orchestra performed an original score by Justin Hurwitz beneath a cavernous set of interlocking Gs, a visual echo of Chanel’s iconic Cs. But the most compelling moments came unexpectedly: a red velvet pantsuit under a moving spotlight, a white jersey dress with circular cutouts, and the design team’s final bow in matching green sweatshirts-a silent rebuke to de Sarno’s signature crimson.
Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault has vowed a Gucci revival amid quarterly sales declines of nearly 25%, but the path remains unclear. Speculation about de Sarno’s successor dominated the post-show chatter, with names like Hedi Slimane and Maria Grazia Chiuri circulating. Meanwhile, the collection’s reliance on legacy items – reimagined horsebit bags, fur-free loafers – underscored a brand cautiously mining its archive rather than chasing innovation.
©Photo: Gucci