By Giulia Piceni. Cover image courtesy of Vogue Runway.
Is this the Gucci SS25 ‘s review? Yes and no. 1960s tailored cuts, balloon skirts paired with Riviera hats, heritage floral foulards with oversized glasses reminiscent of Jackie O’ in Capri, beaded fringes and sexy cutouts. Gucci SS25, titled Gucci Istante, was an ode to carefree, unrepeatable moments that happen during a summer retreat, according to Sabato De Sarno’s vision. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and the public, this collection helped piece together many aspects of Sabato De Sarno’s puzzly creative direction.
While watching the models hit Gucci SS25 runway, it was hard to feel the summer’s warmth or the free and easy spirit through their looks. The references felt diluted, satisfying only those not looking for depth. Where are the bold and unconventional ideas in this bourgeois vacation atmosphere? Some might argue that the pursuit of lightness is the underlying concept, but easy answers have never been sufficient. It’s essential to form one’s own opinion when faced with such situations.
Let’s break down what worked and what didn’t in this collection, using quotes from the press release as a starting point.
Gucci SS25: Walls Don’t Make a Collection
“Gucci continues to evolve its relationship with Triennale, intertwining its identity more and more with the museum’s values: a commitment to open and inclusive cultural dialogue and the desire to unite art, design, architecture, and contemporary thought.”
The runway setting alone cannot communicate the essence of a collection, which is the designer’s responsibility. It should serve as an additional aid, reinforcing a concept already present in the garments and the brand’s overall vision. In this case, the Triennale spectacle, previously used for the Menswear show, didn’t do justice to the importance Sabato De Sarno places on the arts. As stated in the press release, the choice of location was meant to signal continuity in the dialogue between art and fashion, established since the designer’s very first collection. However, the main issue is that this relationship has not been clearly defined. What is the true meaning behind this dialogue? Unfortunately, the initial chapters of De Sarno’s creative direction haven’t been convincing enough.
At first glance, it may look like the creative director views art pieces as nothing more than a decorative backdrop for the brand’s stores or as an institutional way to validate his ideas on the runway. This perpetuates the common perception of fashion relying on the more respected art world for validation.
Art or Ambiance? The Elusive Dialogue in Gucci’s SS25 Runway Show
In reality, Sabato de Sarno actively supports the arts, particularly those from his beloved Naples, as demonstrated by his involvement in the Il resto di niente exhibition dedicated to Neapolitan architecture. However, the true challenge of his creative direction emerges when these values need to be translated into the most impactful moment of creativity: the fashion show. If these legitimate references are not clearly presented or even mentioned in the press release, De Sarno’s shows will continue to feel like a hodgepodge of elements that, while capable of creating a unique atmosphere, fail to convey deeper meaning.
This runway show also marked the third edition of Gucci Prospettive, this time curated by Eva Fabbris, director of the Madre Museum in Naples, and Giovanna Manzotti, an independent curator. The publication highlights the historical contributions of women to Italian art and culture, allegedly emphasising practices that align with the inspirations behind Gucci’s SS 2025 collection. While we could have been inspired by Accardi’s brushstrokes and Dadamaino’s optical art, we instead found ourselves watching a runway show that portrayed a much more superficial vacation lifestyle. Merging content with form, ideas with execution: it’s not enough to hold a show in a cultural treasure if that culture is not effectively conveyed.
From Minimal to Levity, Ending up in Frivolity: is that Gucci SS25 ‘s aim?
“A precise moment in time, an instant to seize and live intensely. It’s the sun sinking into the sea at the end of an August day. It’s the moment of reconnecting with oneself. The collection is a tribute to those instants and an invitation to pause, in search of your own.”
Journalist Andrea Batilla touches on this topic with striking clarity in one of his review posts on Instagram. As is often the case with his fashion analyses, which frequently begin by exploring the etymology of words, his take on Sabato De Sarno’s show started with the final track of the runway. Despite Sabato De Sarno’s apparent affection for 1970s and 80s female singer-songwriters reminiscent of the character “Lo Zingaro” in Lo Chiamavano Jeeg Robot (2015), the essence of his latest collection is found in the lyrics of a bland disco hit. As pointed out by Batilla, De Sarno underscores the need to retreat and escape the performative dimension we experience throughout the year. De Sarno conveys this spirit of escape and lightness through a series of vacation-inspired looks, some of which lack a clear identity. These outfits don’t just evoke certain silhouettes but even the atmosphere of brands like Pucci or Jacquemus. These brands are expected to evoke vacay associations due to their target audience, but considerably less so from Gucci.
As hilariously highlighted in the mini-documentary about his debut show, Sabato is known for his love of dancing; those around him consistently identify it as one of his defining traits. Therefore, the lightheartedness of his track choice, which might seem silly at first, actually carried a deeper meaning when examined closely. Is this an attempt to salvage a weak concept? I’m not sure, but it does seem genuine enough to believe. What concerns me about this vacation undertone is its potential implications for the future of the brand, especially considering the mixed but improved reception compared to the previous collection. The line between lightheartedness and frivolity is thin. Without a certain level of awareness, that lightheartedness can easily be misunderstood or seen as unworthy of representing the brand it’s associated with.
Creative Direction is Like Getting to Know Someone
“One year later, this collection tells the story of a journey towards completion. Moment by moment, I have refined my vision for Gucci. A casual grandeur that takes shape through my obsessions—tailoring, lingerie, leather, 1960s silhouettes—combined with an unrelenting exploration of this brand’s heritage. And always with an irreverent attitude.”
Gucci is currently transforming according to the vision of Sabato De Sarno. While his aesthetic and approach to designing collections are radically different from Alessandro Michele’s, De Sarno shares a similar goal: to bring personal passions and obsessions to the runway. The key difference, however, lies in the absence of storytelling in De Sarno’s shows, which was a crucial element in accessing Michele’s work and captivating audiences with his dreamlike presentations. This lack of narrative is something that cannot be ignored today. Take, for example, the impact of John Galliano’s theatrical, storytelling-driven Haute Couture show for Maison Margiela, which garnered significant attention from both the press and the public. This phenomenon underlines our continued desire for escapism through fashion. Clothes that are too grounded in reality, like De Sarno’s, struggle to transport us beyond the difficulties of the present. Particularly in his latest Gucci SS25 collection, they seem designed for wealthy women who spend their summers on remote islands, listening to retro music at sunset and engaging in radical-chic conversations. This runway show has established an archetype, but fashion should not only focus on pleasing customers, especially during challenging times like these.
Is Gucci’s New Creative Path Too Safe or Ready for a Shake-up?
As De Sarno’s collections are deeply personal and reflect his own life experiences, understanding both him and his work will require time. His pieces do not demand attention; they are quiet, sometimes almost muted – perhaps a reflection of the current economic uncertainty facing brands.
On one hand, there is an intentional silence in his designs, reflecting a desire to align with a luxurious normality or what he calls “casual grandeur” in the press release. On the other hand, the conflicting pressures of the market and press create palpable confusion in the creative proposal, leading to an unclear direction for the brand. As a result, his latest collection has received mixed reviews. Some view his work as a sterile, personality-devoid take on ready-to-wear, characterised by high price tags and unremarkable concepts. Others see it as a vision still taking shape, with deeper roots that are not yet fully apparent, although the extent of this depth remains uncertain.
The challenge with De Sarno’s creations is that their straightforwardness often makes them seem lacking in deeper meaning. Even when a meaning is discerned, it can feel forced or contrived. What many perceive as a limitation is, in fact, a creative choice. Whether one agrees with it or not, as long as this choice is made with intention, his work deserves the time to unfold fully and reveal its true potential. What really concerns fashion enthusiasts is that the garments seem unable to withstand the already volatile words of the press release.
