Gucci FW25: Clothes for the Winds of Change

You don’t need to be a fashion insider to know that the industry is in a state of upheaval. As Milan Fashion Week got underway yesterday, the rumor mill continued to churn with ceaseless speculation about possible departures and replacements. 

The week’s first major show was Gucci, which has been a main character in the industry’s relentless soap opera of late. There was the sudden departure of creative director Sabato De Sarno fewer than three weeks ago. Following his exit, the brand confirmed that, instead of appointing an immediate successor, the Gucci design studio would present its FW25 men’s and women’s collections simultaneously. Then, a few days later, Kering announced the brand’s 2024 revenue was down 23 percent, to €7.7 billion. What would all of this look like on the runway?

Entering the show venue, a sense of change was immediately apparent. Gone was the “ancora” red of De Sarno’s recent collections, replaced by a dark, mossy green. The curtained walls and carpets were reflected in the space’s mirrored ceiling, as was the runway, which took the shape of Gucci’s entwined double-G logo. Filling the vast space were plenty of celebrities, including familiar Gucci ambassadors (Jessica Chastain, Julia Garner, Janik Sinner and Lee Jung-jae of Squid Game) as well as some new ones, among them Parker Posey (currently delivering television’s most beautifully deranged accent in The White Lotus) and Xavier Dolan (who shot the latest Gucci campaign).

An orchestra pit had been set up in one corner of the room, and as the lights dimmed, Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz (La La Land, Babylon) appeared, ready to lead the musicians through an original composition.

The show unfolded all at once: the women proceeded on one side of the room while the men toured the other, before they swapped places. On the women’s side, a minidress styled with a silk scarf tied around a cap was straight from the ’60s. There were gestures to the minimalism of Tom Ford-era Gucci (a sleek and chic monochromatic shirt paired with a knee-length skirt) and Alessandro Michele-era maximalism (oversized green embellished mohair cardigan + lingerie-inspired top + textured skirt that starts above the waist and ends below the knee + aviator sunglasses = brat winter?). The show notes said that Gucci was “moving from then to now and to the future, traveling through time.” With a collection aimed so broadly, there was bound to be something for everyone.

As for the men, it was a deceptively sober collection of suits and jackets worn over turtlenecks, styled with very covetable duffle bags. But there were some charming twists: a sweater vest with an asymmetrical V-neck, or jackets that sat boxy on the chest, creating an exaggerated silhouette. These were but small details in a show that heralds big changes to come.