‘Show Me Love’ – the words on Gucci’s SS24 crimson red invitation ushered in a new era under the creative direction of Sabato De Sarno. The invite included a 7″ vinyl featuring Robin S.’s 1993 banger Show Me Love and a gold bracelet. Titled Ancora, the Italian word means many things, including ‘still’, and ‘again’ – to De Sarno it encapsulated the emotional swirl that is love. 

“To Dance. To Sing. To Sweat. To Live. To Breathe. To Feel. Gucci.” read De Sarno’s Instagram caption beneath the invitation image. We prepared ourselves for a rush of blood.

Rosso Ancora was the name of the red featured throughout De Sarno’s debut, a colour the designer frequently found in the house’s archives – recalling the walls of the staff elevator in London’s Savoy hotel, where Guccio Gucci worked as a porter at the end of the 18th century.

Red again, the rich tone cloaked the SS24 showspace (which was moved indoors from Milan’s Brera district outside the iconic boho hang-out, Bar Jamaica, to the brand’s vast HQ due to the Milan rain). On the front row sat Julia Roberts, HERO 30 cover star Troye Sivan, Mark Ronson (who created the soundtrack), Jodie Turner-Smith, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling (yes, Ken loves Gucci, obvs.) The show notes read: “It’s a story of joy of life, of passion, of humanity, of people, of real life, or irreverent glamour, of provocation, of confidence, of simplicity, of immediate feelings and emotions, of a specific type of art, of words – words in artworks, words in pictures, words in spaces, just words.” Throughout the build-up, De Sarno’s ability to conjure emotive language was evident. Now let’s see how this translates to design.

A clear step away from Alessandro Michele’s maximalist, era-warping aesthetic, De Sarno’s debut collection veered more towards Ford’s minimalist, sexed-up 00s Gucci. Hot pant hems were high, as were platform loafers, stretching the silhouette towards a slim outline, diamanté bikinis with matching shoulder bags and patent leather embossed with the iconic GG. Sheer tops and slouchy jeans. Mini-dresses with plunging necklines and crystal mesh dresses – it was shimmer and sex. GG belts were worn across shirting reimagined as playsuit, while leather blouson jackets were elongated to the thigh, insinuating nothing beneath and fringed neon overcoats swept to the beat. Trainers worn with minimalist shift dresses gave way to more casual looks, including sporty logo jackets and zip ups, creating a diverse wardrobe to cover all bases. “It’s a story of family, of kissing, lots and lots of kisses,” ended the show notes. “It’s a story of everything, again, but this time expressed through joy.