Sabato De Sarno presented his first collection for Gucci Ancora Spring/Summer 2024.
Gucci Ancora Spring/Summer 2024
Sabato De Sarno’s long-awaited debut for Gucci is finally here, signalling a new chapter in the brand’s narrative. The presentation was set to take place on the charming streets of Brera, but nature had its own ideas, and the show was instead presented indoors at the Gucci Hub. In fact, the change of venue could be interpreted as a serendipitous occurrence laden with meaning. At the showspace, an empty hall provided a clean slate for De Sarno’s debut collection. Models walked on a strip of illuminated pavement to a glitzy custom soundtrack produced by Mark Ronson. The first look: a sleek and clean tailored number that broke away from his predecessor’s maximalist creations. The new Gucci girl was effortless, confident and incredibly chic.
The looks that followed solidified De Sarno’s vision of Gucci with a focus on elegant tailoring and street savvy looks that were elevated with thoughtful details and were grounded with comfortable shoes. Logos were imprinted discretely on tank tops, hoodies and jumpers, while kitten heels, loafers and sneakers suggested modern-day sensibility. “It’s a story of joy of life, of passion, of humanity,” shared De Sarno in shownotes. Building on this foundation, De Sarno offered a contemporary wardrobe that consisted of wearable everyday pieces injected with a heavy dose of elegance and sex appeal. Hemlines were drastically shortened, classic pencil skirts were split in the middle, and low necklines were rampant on the runway, as were provocative negligees worn simply with towering loafers. Many likened De Sarno’s interpretation of Gucci to that of Tom Ford’s, and while there were traces of his predecessor in the collection—note the white sleeveless crystal encrusted top worn with jeans—De Sarno’s Gucci was in essence, a dance across the history and archive of the storied house.
Take for instance, the new shade of red christened “Rosso Ancora” that was peppered throughout the collection. The shade was in fact inspired by the colours of the walls of the staff elevator of The Savoy hotel in London. And then there were heavily embellished tops, coats, skirts and mini dresses, rife with sparkling crystals that glimmered with movement—these were inspired by precious embroideries of clutches from the ’50s. Other archival references culminated in the debut of the Marina Chain jewellery collection and a refreshing update of the iconic Jackie known as the Jackie Notte. Elsewhere, De Sarno dabbled with the iconic GG motif and sprinkled it gently across the collection.
When news of Alessandro Michele’s departure from the brand came to light, it sent shock waves throughout the industry. And little was known about De Sarno, who held stints at Prada and Dolce & Gabbana before embarking on a 14-year career at Valentino. With the debut of Ancora, De Sarno’s vision of Gucci’s ever-evolving lexicon brought us back to the beauty and joy of simplicity.
“It’s a story of everything, again, but this time expressed through joy.”
Top looks from Gucci Ancora
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All video and images courtesy.
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