Creative Director of Gucci, Sabato De Sarno, uses the apprehensive nature of the press to anticipate his menswear debut, mirroring the womenswear collection last September. As many critics have mentioned, how commercial can a debut collection be? With its minimalist and sensual focus, the Fall 2024 menswear show unveiled simplistic styling, keen tailoring, and a staunch attitude fiercely distinct from De Sarno’s predecessor, Alessandro Michele, who embraced vintage, maximalist adornments, and gaudiness. During his eight-year tenure at the brand, Michele created an immersive universe of audacious style and taste, filled with giddy, gypsy-like surprises and flamboyance. De Sarno is the complete opposite here, as he attentively paints the picture more in line with conventionality and definitive Italian craftsmanship. Fashion is functional, as clothes are meant to be worn and preserved for everyday use. This was the attitude displayed by De Sarno, as Gucci presented a reintroduction to the house for the uninvolved wearer in the 2020s.

Last season, De Sarno presented a contemporary wardrobe for the modern, upscale woman. The collection featured clean-cut daywear such as sleek tailored blazers and leather skirts. This marked a notable change in the house's recognized aesthetic and a shift in the perception of fashion, emphasizing the importance of creating day and night wearable clothing rather than mere costumes. This is what real-life dressing is and what a consumer looks to shop for to be recognized for themselves, not the brazenness of garish garments styled together. De Sarno presents a much more subtle hint in contemporary men’s fashion that immortalizes sensuality in modern masculinity. Silk choker-clasped, tie-thin scarves, crystallized shirt collars and creepers, and long, floor-length trench coats composed a euphoric gaze for the wearer. The wine, chartreuse-colored, messenger-sized Jackie bags, and matching glove combos illustrated sleek and consistent styling that signaled youth in a conservative and bold philosophy.

The redundancy of over-commerciality in a collection is due to what the fast fashion cycles market to consumers, using similar editorial styling, color palettes, and look proportions from affordable brands like Zara or Mango. De Sarno’s Gucci hints at a fashion landscape that is instantly recognizable to what is seen as wearable in consumerist shopping patterns, especially with lesser-known brands using Instagram as part of their business model. Luxury focuses on impeccable tailoring with the best selection of materials and fabrics, even if the garments are commonalities in a client’s wardrobe. De Sarno isn’t playing it safe by simply following the rules of what sells, but is embracing how seriously he takes fashion and the intention of how clothes are worn and look for each client.

Did the replacement of Michele with De Sarno serve as the precise practical and commercial reset that parent company and luxury giant Kering is looking for? You must love fashion to embrace change regardless of trends or personal tastes, but also consider what the fashion public prefers, including the everyday novice who chooses luxury for his wardrobe. The new wave of fashion enthusiasts, future educators, and business leaders today are no longer captivated by gimmicks. This season, the menswear collections in Milan conveyed a sense of pragmatism. Each fashion house showcased a strong focus on genuine craftsmanship, a skill particularly refined in Italy–emphasizing the meaning of storytelling and legacy. De Sarno positions himself as the new reigning genius and innovator in fashion, prioritizing the importance of carefully curating a luxury aesthetic infused with true Italian heritage.

Gucci’s Unpresumptuous Rebirth

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