Inside London’s hottest fashion event
For his first Gucci Cruise collection, Creative Director Sabato De Sarno is returning to where it all began. Gucci is, of course, an Italian brand through and through. But the origin of its conception can be traced back to London. It was here, working as a porter at the Savoy hotel in 1899, that Guccio Gucci was enthralled by the opulent lifestyles of guests with luxurious luggage sets and travel bags, and he became inspired to start his own leather goods and luggage company.
This set the scene for Gucci’s great return to the iconic city for its Cruise 2025 show. I was lucky enough to secure a ticket to the event, held at London’s Tate Modern, and was thrilled to be dressed by the brand.
I rocked a short patent leather trench coat in the deep burgundy Rosso Ancora hue (that’s quickly becoming a signature of De Sarno’s tenure). Channelling the brand’s trademark sleek sophistication, I teamed it with a Gucci Jackie Notte Mini bag, Signoria slingback pumps and statement square-frame sunglasses in the same shade.
In this post, I’m going to review Gucci’s new offering for Cruise 2025, delving deeper into De Sarno’s inspirations and looking at the show’s key themes and trends which are sure to influence my holiday wardrobe and beyond.
“I like taking something that we know and breaking away from its rules” – Sabato De Sarno
This sentiment really encapsulates De Sarno’s latest collection for Gucci. Familiar house codes – sharp tailoring with plenty of edge, dreamy colour palettes, a focus on wearability, handbag icons and brand signatures – reimagined for the modern Gucci muse.
A fresh approach to minimalism. For Cruise 2025, the Gucci woman is as fearless as ever but with a penchant for understated glamour. The show’s opening look cemented all of the Gucci style codes we know and love – sunglasses, sophisticated tailoring and an ode to ‘70s chic. Throw in a pussy-bow blouse (more on this later) and the kind of effortlessly stylish baggy jeans that us fashion fanatics live in, and the mood of the collection was set. Sleek, cool and ready for anything.
De Sarno’s take on modern tailoring is sharp and fresh with a focus on wearability. Oversized single-breasted pea coats were a focal point of many looks. Worn with micro shorts (yes, these aren’t going anywhere), they signalled the designer’s desire to shake up routine styling rules. One large burgundy leather jacket looked like it was worn sans bottoms, hitting the model’s upper thigh where you might expect a mini skirt to finish. It was styled with wide-rim sunglasses and a Blondie bag (a revived iteration of the popular style first launched in 1971) in the same shade. The look was finished with Horsebit loafers sitting on a chunky ridged sole.
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Fitted double-breasted jackets worn with jeans and skirts that finished below the knee presented a more casual interpretation of preppy style and a move on from the ‘60s-inspired suiting we’ve seen in previous seasons. Relaxed and ready to slot into your everyday wardrobe. I’m already thinking about all of the places I can wear the brown suede jacket, complete with the house’s signature Horsebit buckles on the front patch pockets.
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In an ode to Tom Ford-era Gucci, tailored suits made their way down the runway teamed with sheer blouses left unbuttoned and decorated with pussy-bow ties around the neck. Continuing with the theme of less is more, statement cutouts, exposed bralettes and low necklines were also on show.
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And this wasn’t it for sheer dressing. From boxy popovers and midi skirt co-ords, to ultra-feminine blouson sleeves, sheer details were all over De Sarno’s runway.
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Perhaps what I loved most about the show was De Sarno’s ability to take already popular fashion fads and present them in a way that deserves more runway time. Take his use of colour. Fashion’s obsession with the ‘pop of red’ trend is well documented by now, with social feeds (mine included) full of carefully put together neutral outfits finished with a red loafer here and a red layer there. De Sarno set about juxtaposing neutral shades with vibrant hues in the form of a floaty lime green blouse popping out from underneath a suede camel brown cloak and mini skirt co-ord.
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And it wouldn’t be a Gucci show these days without a subtle nod to the cult-favourite office siren aesthetic. Slim fitting cardigans buttoned low and worn with midi skirts sporting high slits did the trick, softened by mary jane ballet flats and pearl necklaces, adorned with Horsebit details, of course.
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Speaking of balletcore, there’s no sign of the trend slowing over at Gucci. From simple mary janes to ribbon tie-up iterations, ballet flats are still having their moment. With a minimalist style focusing on comfort and versatility, it’s easy to see why.
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While there were no new bags on show at the Tate this season, we were treated to tan and burgundy versions of the Blondie bag, a vintage Gucci favourite first revived as part of the label’s Love Parade show in 2019. And, of course, I couldn’t forget the huge-scale iterations of the Jackie, making a strong case for the continuation of fashion’s love for ginormous totes. Needless to say, I expect to be taking my Gucci Jackie supersized in the near future.
Fringe popped up on De Sarno’s Gucci Cruise 2025 runway in many forms. Super-delicate embroidered bead fringe details in tiered layers on coats, skirts and dresses made me excited for the thrill of holiday glamour. While long sparkly tassels poking out from the hem of an oversized white popover shirt worn with a pair of jeans demonstrated how fringe can add a fun twist to simple everyday outfits, too.
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De Sarno spoke of “(London’s) limitless capability to put together contrasts, make them converse, and find ways to coexist.” This was echoed in his juxtaposition of casual staples with more formal silhouettes. Take the pleated airy gowns paired with oversized leather bombers that created an intriguing balance between everyday and evening. A selection of these floor-trailing dresses were shown on their own, complete with extreme plunging necklines and sleeves that fell from the shoulders like wings – angelic, and Gucci-coded.
Source of all images: Vogue
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To roundup, De Sarno’s Cruise 2025 show marked the brand’s triumphant return to the glistening fashion city. For me, it signalled that the magic Guccio Gucci felt here well over a century ago is very much still alive. After all, we’ll always have London.
