When Fiordaliso’s 1986 hit “Non Voglio Mica La Luna” kicked in as the models walked their finale lap at Gucci today, the crowd started bopping in their seats and singing along. Sabato De Sarno’s first year at this brand hasn’t always been easy, but he set out to put a sunny, happy spin on things with his new show.
His first step was returning to La Triennale, Milan’s museum of art and design and the site of his June men’s show, staging a sort of sunset in the round, with successive rooms in the oblong space shading from yellow to orange to Ancora red. At a preview earlier this week De Sarno talked fondly about his August holidays, spent with his husband and parents in Formentera—the set was designed to capture that endless summer feeling.
His muse was Jackie O, a Gucci client way back when and global style icon to this day, one who’s inspired countless designers over the decades. “When I made my research in the archive I found someone describe her style as ‘casual grandeur.’ These words stayed with me for my creative period,” he explained. The Kennedy clan is freshly relevant—Ryan Murphy just announced he’s producing a new TV show about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy—so the Jackie link was a bit of synchronicity.
The reference wasn’t obvious from the opening look, a wool bomber paired with hip-slung slouchy trousers (previously seen in his spring collection for men) and sneakers, but as the show progressed, the archival print headscarves and big sunglasses suggested De Sarno was vibing on Jackie’s Capri era. A woven raffia coat in fluoro green with a barely perceptible floral print and printed seaside separates with matching wide-brimmed sun hats—these patterns inspired by a photo of Queen Elizabeth II in Gucci—were designed to channel the jet-set style of the ’60s.
For the celebrity contingent—Kirsten Dunst, Dakota Johnson, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and the like—there was a red carpet-friendly mirror sequin sleeveless dress. Elsewhere De Sarno riffed on the iconic white jersey dresses of Tom Ford’s fall 1996 collection, only his were in deep colors and draped from gold bamboo-shaped arm bands and chokers. The Bamboo bag was the company’s big push this season. There were a number of vintage versions customized by Japanese artists in the show, and a press release made special note of an exhibition currently running in Japan showcasing the bag’s 60 year history in that country. A shoulder strap bucket bag that also appeared frequently had horsebit detailing, which was seen, too, on new flat boots, an evolution of the brand’s familiar loafers.
The show culminated in a group of looks with the jet-set spirit of today: oversize coats whose hems scraped the floor worn with tanks and boyish jeans. These might’ve represented De Sarno’s biggest advance: an elusive casual attitude that he hasn’t quite nailed before. A gloom has set in at Gucci, but watching the dancing and singing along to that old Fiordaliso song, it seemed that De Sarno had found himself some new fans. That’s a step forward, perception being such a crucial element of success.