Following the presentation of creative director Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci collection at London’s Tate Modern last month, the Florentine fashion house is set to show its 2025 menswear collection during Milan’s men’s fashion week at the city’s Triennale art and design museum.
Scheduled for Monday, June 17, the upcoming presentation marks De Sarno’s second menswear collection, following his January debut at Gucci Hub. It will also be his first presentation in Milan’s city center, after last year’s weather-driven relocation from Brera streets to via Mecenate. The last main Gucci show, aside from the May cruise collection, took place at the Fonderia Carlo Macchi in Milan.
Kering’s star brand has been undergoing a revised growth strategy, after sales fell 21 percent to 2.1 billion euros in the first quarter of 2024. Kering’s overall quarterly earnings fell to 4.5 billion euros, an 11 percent decrease, as the Chinese market in particular lagged in sales.
Despite these challenges, De Sarno’s designs are resonating with consumers, according to various reports, as the first products to reach its retail stores were regarded favourable by shoppers both in the US and China. According to a Deutsche Bank survey, as reported by Pambianco News, 87 percent of Chinese consumers are likely to purchase the new collection, and 75-85 percent believe De Sarno will positively impact Gucci.
Still, Gucci has yet to win over fashion industry critics, some of whom remain divided over the brand’s direction, and are looking to see a clear vision and new energy.