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Have Gucci And Valentino Freaky Friday-ed?
(Photo: Gucci; Ola Rindal)
On Monday, June 17th, the fashion world was abuzz with anticipation for the Gucci SS25 menswear collection show. Held at the Triennale Milano Design Gallery, Sabato De Sarno’s second menswear collection for Gucci was, as always, one of the highlights of Milan Fashion Week.
A-list attendees, including Paul Mescal, Serena Williams, Zhou Yiran, Kaytranada, Ghali, and Tony Effe, added to the event's allure. Little did they know, the day’s excitement was far from over.
On the same day, Alessandro Michele, at De Sarno’s former workplace, stole the spotlight by unveiling his first collection for Valentino.
Although his first runway show is slated for September, Michele felt compelled to surprise everyone with the Resort 2025 collection, which he had been working on tirelessly during the three months since accepting his new role.
When De Sarno showed his first offering for Gucci, the Fall/Winter 2024 womens' collection, it was considered muted, safe and pretty opposite to what we had grown used to seeing from Michele in the last eight years of the brand.
Having worked as Piccioli’s right-hand man, his influence was evident in De Sarno's work, as well as the inspiration he took from Gucci’s Tom Ford era and the new quiet luxury trends. His minimalist, timeless approach was very different to Michele’s maximalist, quirky taste.
De Sarno is starting to show more confidence in his new role. The SS25 menswear collection, described as an ode to freedom by De Sarno, showed more of the designer’s personality and interests. Based on a surfwear theme drawn from William Finnegan’s memoir Barbarian Days, the show featured more prints and color than we have seen from him so far.
The surfer theme was referenced with foam-covered sunglasses and nature-inspired printed shirts, which featured hibiscus leaves, palms, and dolphins. Not very wave-friendly, however, were the full-length coats and pointed horse bit leather boots.
Fresh elements like netted shirts and cushiony fluo crossbody bags appeared in between the steadfast sleek design language De Sarno is carving out for Gucci, which includes a commitment to short shorts, glossy leather, and the recurrence of colors like ‘rotten’ green and deep burgundy.
De Sarno may have been in the mood for some more decoration - prints, bolder colour pairings, beaded fringe, beaded embroidery- but never at the level of Michele. Despite these changes, Gucci has yet to craft a compelling narrative under its new leadership.
With such a drastic shift in direction, is Gucci at risk of losing its identity?
The brand's iconic bamboo handles, red and green stripes, and GG logo still set it apart, but between Tom Ford’s sleek sensuality, Michele’s extravagant glamour, and De Sarno’s understated elegance, what image of Gucci truly endures in our minds?
Is this issue unique to Gucci, or is it symptomatic of a broader trend? With so many top high-end brands rotating the same creative directors, the loss of distinct brand identities might be an industry-wide problem.
Michele’s designs, though polarizing, were undeniably distinctive and gave Gucci a unique identity among luxury brands. Now at Valentino, many argue that his style starkly contrasts with that of his predecessor, Pier Paolo Piccioli.
While Michele remains true to his aesthetic, there's a growing concern that he might transform Valentino into a Gucci clone. It seems that Gucci and Valentino have swapped identities, much like their creative directors have swapped houses.
While Alessandro Michele popularized the "more is more" philosophy, blending unexpected pieces to craft an eclectic vintage style, Pier Paolo Piccioli was renowned at Valentino for his statuesque silhouettes and elevated elegance.
Three months after arriving at Valentino, Michele’s first collection was unveiled within hours of Gucci’s Milan show. The Resort 2025 collection, called Avant les Débuts, is composed of 171 looks modeled by a mix of genders. That’s a lot of work to get done in three months!
Each look in the collection is unique and unmistakably Michele, characterized by decadent, retro, and glamorous elements. Does this fit with the image that Piccioli had created for Valentino? Not quite.
Michele’s collection downplays the iconic Valentino red and pink, though Michele has shown some restraint in regard to his maximalist aesthetic. At times, it felt like a fusion of Gucci and Chanel. Yet, perhaps there's more to the story.
Though Michele's designs differ from recent Valentino collections, he delved into the house's archives for inspiration, drawing from Valentino Garavani's iconic looks of the 60s and 70s, particularly the White Collection of 1968. His reinterpretation is quite accurate, with some pieces closely echoing the originals.
Michele told Vogue Runway that Valentino was never actually a minimalist, but a maximalist. Nevertheless, he elaborated and added to Garavani’s refined style with his own guilty pleasures of lace, fringe, turbans, and pearls.
It's evident that where Michele embraces lavish decoration, Piccioli (and now De Sarno) favor simplicity, focusing on elegant, clean cuts and silhouettes.
Valentino knew they were getting a dramatically different aesthetic with Alessandro Michele, so why choose someone so unlike Piccioli? Are they seeking a bold, radical change, or leveraging Michele's loyal fanbase?
Similarly, why did Gucci opt for De Sarno if not to make the brand more mainstream and palatable? So far, the results have been mixed. Kering, along with many other luxury brands, is facing challenges. While it may take time to see the full impact of these changes, both directors are under significant pressure to deliver results.
In conclusion, the fashion world is witnessing a fascinating shift. As Sabato De Sarno infuses Gucci with a touch of Valentino’s elegance, and Alessandro Michele transforms Valentino with his signature campy style, it does indeed appear that the two iconic fashion houses have swapped places.
The upcoming seasons will reveal how these new directions unfold and how the legacies of both Gucci and Valentino will evolve under their new leaders.
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