By Giulia Piceni. Cover image courtesy Gucci, photo by David Sims
The countdown for the first Gucci show under Sabato De Sarno has started, and there are already hints that we may see some elements of the Tom Ford era.
Last Summer, the creative director of Gucci Sabato De Sarno shared an Instagram post featuring a 90s realism-inspired photograph by David Sims, which showcased the effortless grace of Daria Werbowy – the famous Phoebe Philo muse and doppelgänger. Immediately, everyone saw the Tom Ford reference, leaving us all wondering what the new Gucci collection will look like.
Published on August 5 and belonging to a future Gucci’s campaign, the post didn’t risk getting lost in between blue Summer skies and influencers’ vacation carousels; its immediacy made it emerge from the screen as a visual form of emancipation through a female-gaze sensuality.
The photograph’s fresh beauty lay in its subtle details: a double G logo on the side of Werbowy’s swimming slips, the brand’s faintly visible name overlapped on the picture, and a golden hoop earring worn only on the left ear that could be interpreted as a reference to Philo, who popularised that style trend during her Céline FW 2014.
I was struck with amazement as I looked at that post. Although I didn’t know much about Tom Ford’s era at Gucci, that picture clearly hinted at Mario Testino’s campaigns for the Florentine brand during those nine glorious years of the Texan designer’s glam.
If you want to appreciate something and discover the concept behind it, the only way to do it is to jump down the rabbit hole and gather as much information as possible. So I binge-watched all the Gucci shows by Ford and started imagining De Sarno dissecting those archival looks to create a contemporary cadavre exquis harnessing their 90s sexiness, velvets, edginess, minimalism, discreet logos and a touch of dark coolness. All combined with Valentino’s grace, who influenced De Sarno’s style during his years at the Rome-based Maison.
While waiting for the new Creative Director’s debut on September 22 during the MFW, here is what I expect from the Tom Ford-flavored Gucci SS 2024.
1. WILL GUCCI BY SABATO DE SARNO EMBRACE A TOUCH OG 90’S SEXINESS?
After seeing De Sarno’s Instagram post starring Daria Werbowy, I expected a touch of 1990s sexiness in the upcoming Gucci campaigns, similar to Mario Testino’s shots from the Tom Ford era. The imagery in mind was of sultry expressions, seductive allure, powerful poses and a desire to provoke scandal with more or less direct sexual references.
However, the release of the campaign featuring Vittoria Ceretti wearing the double G micro-crystal bra from the FW 2023 collection was puzzling as it showed aseptic, controlled studio shots and vivid colours that looked very Pradesque. The campaign did not showcase De Sarno’s creations, as his debut was scheduled for September 22. Despite this setback, people still hope to see a sexy touch in the SS 2024 campaign that will bring back the Testino vibe.
2. SABATO DE SARNO’S DEBUT AT GUCCI COULD BE VELVETS, VELVETS, VELVETS!
First at Gucci and then at his eponymous label, the Texan designer has transformed velvet into his signature fabric. This luxurious textile is appealing to the touch and plays with light and colour in a truly luxurious way. Velvet first appeared in Tom Ford’s very first show for Gucci (FW 1995) with a trio of pink, turquoise and acid green men’s suits.
The iconic red velvet suit debuted during that show, but only for men. The following year, for FW 1996, it will be seen in its final form for both genders.
During his years at Gucci, Alessandro Michele also made extensive use of velvet, to the point where he even presented that same red velvet suit on the 100th anniversary of Gucci (FW 2021).
It was featured on the runway as the beat of Gucci Gang by Lil Pump played. The enduring fascination with the Tom Ford era was evident in this show, and it is hard to imagine that anyone, including Sabato De Sarno, could be immune to its appeal.
3. IF SABATO DE SARNO FOLLOWS MINIMALISTIC EDGINESS
Tom Ford always aimed for an ideal world of affluent and glamorous people. He added edgy details to classic, typically Italian bourgeois garments in a kind of elegant experimentation.
The closing looks from the FW 1997 are a glaring example of this. He designed gowns with minimalistic lines cut out of black silk cady and introduced little strips of patent leather crossing the upper side of the body.
Those luminous lines segmented horizontally the shoulders and wrapped the neck by intertwining with each other while also hinting at a harness; it was a touch of avant-garde amid pure sartorialism. I hope to see this innovative use of materials on the runway on September 22.
4. WOULD SABATO DE SARNO’S DEBUT AT GUCCI ADOPTS A WISE USE OF LOGOS?
We are all guilty of this, and no one is excluded. During the ‘logomania trend’ years around 2017, everyone wanted to own a Gucci belt with the new logo by Alessandro Michele from the FW 2015 Menswear. We probably even got it fresh out of the runway, but for the past three years, we have kept it in a dark corner of our wardrobe, only collecting dust.
Although fashion, in general, is now leaning towards a more discreet way of conceiving luxury, Gucci’s identity is still undeniably based on the power of symbols and logos, which, in one way or another, must be present on the brand’s garments.
The triple red and green stripe, the double G, and the horsebit on both bags and footwear are all more or less perceptible ways of defining the status that Gucci has always offered to its clients.
The double G monogram was used wisely during Tom Ford’s era, as seen in the FW 1997 velvet shirts and the SS 1997 G-string. Hopefully, De Sarno has taken notes of these iconic pieces.
5. WILL DARK LADY COOLNESS MATCHES SABATO DE SARNO DEBUT AT GUCCI, TOO?
Tom Ford’s fashion shows have a recurring theme of the ‘dark lady’ archetype, as seen in the SS 1997 with the dark eye makeup reminiscent of the 1920s flapper style and the fetishistic leather strings tied on the models’ necks from the SS 1996. However, the FW 2002 show stands out as the epitome of the dark lady theme.
Sometimes, people ask me if I’m okay; even though I may say that I am, deep down, I know I am not. If I were okay, my wardrobe would consist only of Japanese-inspired silk belts, floor-length satin skirts, flared black pants and transparent blouses from the Gucci FW 2002 collection. That show has everything I need to feel mentally balanced.
I hope that Sabato De Sarno will bring this sophisticated goth-princess vibe back on the runway; all I can do now is dream and let my imagination inflate my expectations for his debut collection.
