The Gucci Fall/Winter 2025 collection was a masterclass in honoring the house’s heritage while subtly hinting at a new creative direction—whoever that may belong to. Cover image: courtesy of Gucci
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GUCCI FALL/WINTER 2025
With Sabato De Sarno’s abrupt departure, who held the reins for just two seasons in 2023 and 2024, all eyes were on this collection to decipher where Gucci is headed next. Designed by the in-house team, the collection felt like a tribute and a statement of intent, though the authorship remains debatable.
Gucci has always been a house that has been defined by evolution. The show notes state that the house is a “continuum of craft, taste, and culture that passes through time.” From Tom Ford’s sensuality to Alessandro Michele’s baroque maximalism and Frida Giannini’s soft yet subtle designs, each creative director has left their mark. With no official successor announced (even though Hedi Slimane is thought to get the job—sources claim he recently bought a house in Milan, although Gucci’s headquarters are based in Florence), the question lingers: Is this collection a quiet farewell from De Sarno, a collaborative effort by the design team, or the first whisper of Gucci’s new vision yet to be revealed?
What was undeniable, however, was the strength of the collection itself. The show opened dramatically, focusing on the horse-bit necklace, an unmistakable Gucci signature for decades. Blown up to exaggerated proportions, it adorned bags, belts, jewelry, and even waist chains.
WHILE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE HOUSE’S CODES, THE COLLECTION WASN’T WITHOUT EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
While deeply rooted in the house’s codes, the collection wasn’t without external influences. The fluffy, sculptural footwear had more than a passing resemblance to Jonathan Anderson’s creations for Loewe. At the same time, the sharp, structured silhouettes and understated color palette—shades of green, gray, mauve, and brown—echoed Prada’s aesthetic. However, that’s a too easy thing to say when a design studio tries to find the house’s new voice. Anyway, fabric experimentation was key: tweeds, crepe de chine, brushed mohair, and mother-of-pearl leather played with the contrast between strict tailoring and soft fluidity, evoking a push-pull tension that felt contemporary yet timeless.
A NEW CHAPTER?
Despite these strengths, the collection left more questions than answers about Gucci’s future. The emphasis on tailoring and classicism felt like a departure from De Sarno’s ultra-clean, commercial minimalism—but was it his doing or the work of a team already moving beyond his aesthetic? The seamless balance of men’s and women’s looks and the interplay between structured and relaxed all hinted at a more profound continuity within the house.
PERHAPS GUCCI’S NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR IS ALREADY PART OF THE DESIGN TEAM
Perhaps Gucci’s new creative director is already part of the design team, subtly shaping the future without stepping into the spotlight. Or possibly, despite his short tenure, De Sarno imprinted his final vision before exiting. Either way, the message was clear: Gucci’s legacy is too powerful to be defined by one individual alone.
