A lot was riding on the Gucci Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear collection. For one, it's the first menswear collection by creative director Sabato De Sarno; the other reason is that it's a follow-up to a debut that had fashion insiders and fans split. In some cases, the latest effort by De Sarno was similar to his debut, but better—much, much better.
Gucci Ancora took on a slightly different meaning as compared to De Sarno's debut. While the overarching theme of wanting to make people fall in love with Gucci again was apparent, the Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear collection takes it a step further. Embedded into the line-up—starting from the opening look—were a number of ensembles that mirrored the womenswear debut. They're tweaked slightly, but the spirit was essentially the same. Heck, even the Mark Ronson-curated soundtrack (the man was also in attendance) was an intentional repeat.
The difference—and brilliantly so—was that the menswear collection felt more complete. There's no telling how De Sarno felt post-debut of his very first collection, but if any of the naysayers got to him, this collection felt like he was hell bent on proving them wrong.
The fit: Perhaps, De Sarno is a better menswear designer than he is at womenswear. Because the tailoring (a perennial key tenet of any menswear collection, pretty much) was impeccable. Instead of opting for the easy way out by pandering to current style obsessions, the cut of trousers were slim with enough give for a sleek and clean bottom half. The top was left slightly oversized, but proportionally just right such that the flow and fluidity of floor-grazing coats felt dramatic without weighing one down.
Tailoring may have run rampant throughout the collection, but they were anything but staid or stuffy. Print and patterns seem to not be something that De Sarno may be leaning towards—save for the GG monogram—but colours are clearly his specialty (perhaps something that he picked up during his time at Valentino). Surprisingly, the deep shade of red that's becoming a De Sarno signature for Gucci, was not heavily used throughout the collection. Instead, the additional colours employed ran along the same tonal shades as the new Gucci red. This not only added on to the cohesive nature of the collection, but also elevated it to be rather universal across different ages.
That's not to say that there were no statement pieces; in fact, far from it. In place of ties, a necklace-scarf hybrid was the centre of attention consisting of leather pieces connected by metallic hardware with the former attached to a slender strip of fabric. Each swayed as models walked—a sense of romantic flou that was both refreshing and much needed. And if Harry Styles or Måneskin were to return as part of the Gucci fold, they'd certainly gravitate towards the metallic fringed pieces that exuded the kind of gender-fluid sensibility Gucci had made its own.
The details: As predicted, the Jackie continues to be the focus for the House. Rendered in plenty of iterations—albeit kept a tad simpler and less showy than the female versions—including a thoroughly embellished version, the menswear Jackies were constructed significantly larger.
But what wasn't easily seen on the livestream, were the backs of the looks. De Sarno skilfully ensured that the backs of most, if not all, the looks were crafted as beautifully as the front. Some coats featured a hint of the Gucci webbing right on the vent, while leather coats were embossed with "Gucci" right at centre back along the hem. The drapes and silhouettes too felt devastatingly dramatic from the back—of mystique that you'd want a person wearing a piece to walk by again.
Three exceptional looks: Look 5's ultra clean combination of a long sleeveless coat paired with the collection's trousers as well as studded Horsebit loafers; look 13's all-over GG monogram in red; and look 51's sparkly oversized tank that I would very much like to cop immediately.
The takeaway: Don't strike off De Sarno's Gucci just yet.
View the full Gucci Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear collection in the gallery below.
The Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear show season has already begun. After Pitti Uomo in Florence, Milan Fashion Week Men's will officially kick off with Gucci, marking the menswear debut of creative director Sabato De Sarno. And once again, for the second time, the show is being referred to as Gucci Ancora ("again" in Italian).
The Gucci Ancora women's campaign was just released days ago featuring the Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear collection that signalled De Sarno's vision for the House. Included as part of the campaign were a couple of images of male models in denim jeans, holding on to Gucci Jackie bags. While the official press release explicitly avoided referencing the male models, it's safe to assume that Gucci's Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear collection will be a continuation of the Gucci Ancora aesthetic—pared back with a reiteration of Gucci elegance in the form of cut and silhouette.
The womenswear debut focused heavily on the Jackie as the bag of the season. The menswear debut could follow along the same vein or continue to refocus the attention on the Horsebit creations—an icon that was the House's key push leading up to the release of De Sarno's first collection.
But for any confirmation, stay tuned for the show this Friday. And for an even closer look at the collection, follow @esquiresg on Instagram as we bring you the action live from Milan Fashion Week.
What: Gucci Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear runway show
Where: Milan, Italy
When: Friday, 12 January 2024 at 10pm Singapore time
If I had to pick a clear standout from Milan for the Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear season (with a smattering of menswear in between), it would have to go to Bottega Veneta.
Creative director Matthieu Blazy has managed to create such a niche look for the Italian brand in terms of its ready-to-wear offerings—without the need for overt branding or the use of a singular colour—more than any of his predecessors have done before. The bags and accessories, of course, continue to utilise Bottega Veneta's signature Intrecciato techniques (as they should) but Blazy's emphasis on craft and techniques has offered a distinct point-of-view that has made his ready-to-wear pieces identifiable as Bottega Veneta creations.
"There is a need to reconnect to a primal world of animals, minerals, and plants. It’s like collecting seashells—beautiful, meaningful or meaningless. It’s linked to the beauty of small marvels and natural wonders. It’s embracing something freeform: these are clothes without codes," Blazy says in the collection notes.
For the Bottega Veneta Summer 2024 collection, Blazy once again took us on a journey—one that crossed oceans and continents. Craft was the central connecting thread as culture-specific influences the world over were referenced and mashed together to create pieces that were (mostly) wearable and imbued with extreme technicalities. Yes, this meant that visually, the collection may not have appeared cohesive due to the many different techniques, colours and silhouettes that were employed throughout. The cohesiveness came through conceptually with summer- and beach-inspired ideas of craft apparent in a number of looks.
The fit: There's no singular look to the Bottega Veneta Summer 2024 collection. It was a transition of different moments in time and space—as though Blazy meant to showcase the Bottega Veneta man as one who's worldly and of many different leanings. The show opened with a knit swimwear look that looked as though it was stripped from the '20s (and perhaps one of the few menswear looks that felt wearable for the warmer climes). Although it's difficult to decipher accurately based on images and the runway video alone, I'm fairly certain that Blazy showed a number of his brilliant leather trompe l'œil looks where seemingly everyday pieces were actually crafted from leathers, and paired with leather ties.
What's technically impressive were the knit looks this season. Blazy had shown off a number of knit looks in the past few collections but they seemed to be amped up for Summer 2024 with even more flourishes and done in greater scale. Chunky jumpers and tanks were beautiful, crafted to perfection in complicated patterns but without a homespun quality. These were intended to look high-quality and luxurious—done by hand, yes, but with the precision of skilled, experienced craftsmen.
The details: Things got bigger in the bags department. The Bottega Veneta Summer 2024 bags were supersized such that they'd make pretty decent travelling companions. A massive duffle bag in croc (look 7) was half the size of the model that carried it, while the Sardines in Intrecciato took on their biggest iteration yet with the metallic handle offering an even better grip thanks to the upsized design.
Three exceptional looks: Look 11 and its deliciously chunky knit that enveloped almost the entirety of the ensemble under it; look 53's coordinated look consisting of a shirt and trousers with faggoting and jagged hems; and look 41's updated proposal of a tank-and-trouser fit.
The takeaway: I don't know who's rich enough to purchase Bottega Veneta ready-to-wear, but you'd definitely recognise the look right off the bat.
View the full Bottega Veneta Summer 2024 runway collection in the gallery below.
Versace is typically not one to quickly hop onto trends or care much about the shifts in consumer tastes. It marches to its own beat—coming up with a new-ish monogram, La Greca, only in 2021 (well after other brands) but relatively sticking to its signature Barocco prints, Medusa logo, and sexually charged designs.
It's surprising then that for Spring/Summer 2024, Donatella Versace decided to do a 180 with a collection that's representative of a return to minimalism—or that often misused phrase, "quiet luxury"—but done the Versace way. To be fair, this wasn't the first instance of Donatella going rogue with a rather minimalist collection. This is, however, perhaps her most successful execution yet.
The fit: The show opened with luxurious duchess silks adorned with the Versace Contrasto Checkerboard—a pattern that debuted in Spring/Summer 1982—in varying sizes and later paired with utilitarian pieces the likes of a perfectly cut trench and multi-pocketed gilet. They were simply teasers of what's to come: a skilful combination of tailoring and Versace motifs rendered in pastel hues.
The checked and square motifs continued on in multiple fabrications including wool crepe tweed. In some instances, checkerboard prints were layered with signature Barocco prints as well as a Versace Rose motif but in quite muted monochromatic renderings such that they weren't fighting for attention.
The focus on cut and tailoring were evident for the Versace Spring/Summer 2024 collection. Lines were sharp and clean with nipped in waists and three-dimensional sculptural shoulder moments that elevated the level of craft and construction further. In look 69 (the most minimal menswear look of the lot) for example, an impeccably tailored jacket with flared trousers showcased the peak of Versace tailoring but at the same time exuded a timeless aesthetic. It's highly edited and pared back, yes; yet the Versace man still exudes a sexy confidence.
The details: There's no denying that there were semblances of Miu Miu and Prada stylings—it's difficult to not reference the of-the-moment combinations, especially when taking on a minimalist approach. But again, Donatella made them her own. The peeking of underwear under trousers, scoop-neck tanks and fine gauge knit cardigans (both interpreted with gorgeous macramé Barocco borders) were reworked codes of Versace sensuality.
There were hints of a feminine-masculine tension that skewed in neither direction yet showed that the Versace man wouldn't be fazed even if it did. He's that confident.
Three exceptional looks: Look 12's maroon leather suit that's a stunning showcase of leather tailoring; the pastel blue mod-tailoring in look 23 with that clever styling of unbuttoning the last few buttons to show a hint of skin and underwear; and look 73's excellent tailoring.
The takeaway: This is how you do timeless, elegant minimalism while evolving house codes without looking like the next Zara collection.
View the full Versace Spring/Summer 2024 runway collection in the gallery below.
192 bales of raw linen were transported from Normandy to Milan for the Zegna spring/summer 2024 runway show. They formed an oasis of sorts—Zegna calls the show L'Oasi di Lino (translation: the linen oasis)—within the Piazza San Fedele in Milan.
More than a showcase of what's coming up for the season, the show was once again a reiteration of Zegna's efforts at ensuring that its materials—the very basis of the brand—are sourced and produced with as little negative effects to the environment as possible. And before you call out the brand for potentially wasting raw materials for the show's scenography, Zegna ensures that the raw linen will be turned into its Oasi Linen fabric in Italy. It's also committed to certifying Oasi Linen as 100 percent traceable by 2024.
With that, the hero of the Zegna spring/summer 2024 collection is linen. A number of amalgamations were featured throughout the collection with treatments that displayed artistic director Alessandro Sartori's tactile mastery in materiality. And of course, his penchant for monochromatic looks.
The fit: There was an overall sense of ease and lightness to the collection that's typical of Zegna, and it's even more so owed to the generally linen-based fabrication. Shorts were cut roomy and grazed the knees, and were mostly part of coordinates—a Sartori-favoured leitmotif of constant reimaginings of men's suiting. Blazers were cut without lapels for a more streamlined appearance and oversized outerwear were designed with clean lines ensuring that elements were all flushed with little flourishes. On some instances where lapels did appear, they're actually a result of trompe-l'œil techniques, especially visible on the leather pieces (looks 27 and 33).
The collection's knitwear amplified the sense of tactility, adding both visual interest as well as contrasting textures. And if there's one thing that grounded the entire collection, it would be the triangular scarves seen on a number of looks. There's a sprezzatura sensibility about them that conjures this idea of an Italian summer—perhaps lounging around next to bales of hay (or linen) and without a single care in the world.
The details: Soft handbags crafted from supple leather made several appearances, echoing a similar kind of airiness of the ready-to-wear. The footwear though are the stars. The Triple Stitch was adapted into an espadrille-hybrid with visible rope-stitching running along the soles. Sartori also introduced a new slip-on shoe design cut from one piece of leather and affixed with chunky, textured soles for a truly sophisticated look.
Three exceptional looks: Look 14's classic Zegna fit with the addition of a triangular scarf for that added style factor; look 18 was a beautifully cut jumpsuit that retained elements of traditional menswear tailoring, especially in the interior; and look 45's textural masterpiece in the collection's standout flamingo hue.
The takeaway: This is not your grandfather's linen.
View the full Zegna spring/summer 2024 collection in the gallery below.
