Gucci Continuum's return to its roots for FW25

It was the FW23 show when Gucci walked the runway for the first time without Alessandro Michele, with a collection that raised several questions about the identity and creative direction that Sabato De Sarno (at the time still a fresh appointment) would take once in charge. Just over two years later, we find ourselves back at square one, less than twenty days after the news that Kering's flagship brand is, once again, without a creative leader. After dressing itself in the iconic Rosso Ancora for the past two years, Gucci is now focusing on another signature color of the Maison: forest green. However, there was no trace of De Sarno's favorite shade in this collection. An entire room covered in velvet in natural tones shone with a huge double G in the center, the Maison’s logo, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. A journey through time, moving from the past toward the future, which is why the collection was named Continuum. The show began in a surprising way, abandoning the pop tones of Mina and Fiordaliso that had characterized recent seasons to embrace a new rigor, this time marked by the orchestra of Justin Hurwitz (Oscar-winning composer, renowned for the soundtracks of La La Land and Whiplash). It was here that the models walked the runway three times: first focusing on the women's collection, then the men's, and finally a third time for the closing, officially presenting Gucci's co-ed FW25 collection.

The first part, dedicated to women, was an ode to all the creative directors who have shaped the brand’s history. Already with FW23, we had seen how transitional collections tend to be a mix of previous influences, both for safety reasons and to facilitate a general reset of the brand in the public imagination. This season, Gucci’s woman returns somewhat baroque à la Alessandro Michele, with long furs paired with scarves featuring classic prints. A distinctive sense of Italian style, characterized by sprezzatura – the perfect imperfection, studied nonchalance – permeates the collection, reaffirming its identity between tradition and innovation. For outerwear, three-quarter-length jackets abandoned De Sarno’s logo-mania in favor of a 1960s cut, with oversized buttons. Naturally, following current trends, Gucci also focused on midi pencil skirts – in neutral tones, patterned, or adorned with stones – often paired with lace bodysuits that vaguely recalled Tom Ford’s iconic transparency. The color palette for next winter will be dominated by pastel tones, according to the Maison’s design office, with banana yellow and lilac as key shades. Moving away from De Sarno’s apparent and wannabe brutalist minimalism, we see a more flamboyant Gucci, with some kitsch details – such as stockings and the velvet bodysuit with double G logo in Swarovski.

The real stars of the season were the bags, finally shining again after a period of underwhelming presence. In addition to the new soft oversized Horsebit 1955, Gucci introduced new models for FW25, including a hobo bag inspired by Japanese designs and a new horsebit, this time larger (also featured in necklaces and women’s chokers). The real comeback was the Bamboo, which in this version transforms into a vinyl tote capable of reflecting every glimmer of light despite its dark tones. From maxi to mini, the horsebit motif multiplies, becoming the highlight of the accessories line, from the handle of the new shoulder bag to the snap closure of the new Gucci Siena.

Despite the show being co-ed, the attention given to men’s fashion was significantly less than for the women’s collection. The main focus was a return to high tailoring, with clear references to the 1970s, featuring structured double-breasted jackets, omnipresent turtlenecks, and knitted vests this time paired with shiny shirts. It almost seems as if the men's inspiration came from late-1960s Palmolive advertisements, with looks that merge the austerity of a working father with the more playful side of the son waiting for him at home. Outerwear dominated the men's collection, with long oversized coats – including a tortoiseshell vinyl one – and wool jackets with collars. Because until the models walked for the second time, menswear almost seemed to have disappeared. Bags were also present here, with a new 48-hour bag featuring the tricolor in forest green suede. Perhaps the most exciting part of the men's collection was the presence of several models of eyewear, also returning to mid-century influences, abandoning the rigid squared shapes of previous collections.

It is difficult to understand what is happening behind the scenes, especially considering that at the beginning of the month, we were convinced we would be entering this Milan Fashion Week with Sabato De Sarno’s seventh collection. Yet, the Maison’s team managed to put together a collection and a show that mark a clear break from the Gucci of the past two years. While there are still uncertainties about the successor to the Neapolitan designer (the brand and Kering have confirmed that an appointment should be announced soon), one thing is certain: Gucci is trying to return home. Perhaps the upcoming Cruise show on May 15 will confirm this intuition when the brand walks the runway in its hometown, Florence. It is the dawn of a new era for Gucci, which has left Rosso Ancora behind to embrace forest green.