Gucci’s ‘casual grandeur’ is set to take over the high street

Something interesting is happening at Gucci. And I don’t just mean the presence of three formidable blondes – Debbie Harry, Kirsten Dunst and Julia Garner – in the front row.

The markets are beating the fashion chatterati. While the latter have been in the main lukewarm about newcomer Sabato De Sarno’s collections, his power to shape fashion in general is proving quite a force. Take the popularity this autumn of burgundy, patent and, often, burgundy patent – you can see it all over the place, from Zara to Bash. And it all kicked off with de Sarno’s first collection for Gucci a year ago. Then there are his lace-trimmed leather slip dresses, versions of which I spotted in Marks & Spencer’s showroom a couple of weeks ago.

Influencing the high street isn’t quite the same as waking up your own market: Gucci’s decline in revenue this year alone has been vertigo-inducing – a 20 per cent drop in sales recorded in the first quarter of 2024. But insiders have long argued this isn’t De Sarno’s fault. For reasons beyond most people’s ken, it has taken an inordinately long time for his collections to reach Gucci’s stores. The items that aren’t selling are old stock.

Given the brand’s various travails - and the slowdown in sales that’s affecting many other fashion labels - De Sarno seemed in high spirits after his spring/summer show on Friday. And yes, he said backstage, he had noticed how widely some of his ideas had already been picked up by others. While that’s gratifying, his priority, he says, is fleshing out a wardrobe of what he calls “casual grandeur”. Some of it’s probably a bit too grand for cash-strapped Europeans, but you can already see Middle Eastern and Chinese clients working their winter 2024 Gucci casual grandeur in the front row.

For anyone still mystified, Casual Grandeur comes down to easy shapes and shiny luxury workmanship. Slinky white or black crepe floor-length dresses with cut-outs looked back to the peak of the Tom Ford for Gucci era. De Sarno added sculpted metal collars that echo the shape of the handles on Gucci’s top-handled heritage Bamboo bags - the one Grace Kelly used to carry.

Talking of that Gucci classic, De Sarno has designed an even dinkier, East-West version, replacing the bamboo handle with Perspex or metal. Small bags go down a treat in South East Asia. He’s not designing in an ivory tower.

From a commercial point of view, as well as an aesthetic one, mining the Tom Ford era isn’t a bad idea - from a distance of 20 years most of it has aged well and Gen Z love nostalgia. As seems increasingly apparent, we all do.

But De Sarno has added his own touches. Coats are lavishly beaded, or in neons and piped with leather. Jackets are cropped, often blouson-shaped or cut close to the torso. There are lots of them.

Jackets were cropped and cut close to the torso - Getty

Separates are well and truly back at Gucci, along with co-ords - in chocolate or black leather, this time tooled.

Trenches and parkas sweep the floor and, as elsewhere, there are silver mirrored dresses and separates for those Gatsby-style parties someone, somewhere is still throwing (probably in India).

Longer trench coats were adorned with decoration — Trench coats were adorned with decoration - Getty

It was bright, feel feel-good, with a lot that will appeal to red carpet stylists. Jessica Chastain, Dakota Johnson and Solange Knowles were there checking it out in person. Did anyone say all this is really about selling a whole bunch of accessories? If so, there are plenty to choose from: small, patterned, Jackie bags, clutches, slim loafer-boots with Gucci snaffles and high-heeled Mary Janes. If De Sarno doesn’t finally nudge those markets upwards, it won’t be for the want of trying.