Gucci constructs looks of casual grandeur as Tod's focuses on Artisanal Intelligence

MILAN - The fashion palate cleanser of the season: white. Milan fashion houses, more often than not this season, are opening their runway preview shows for next spring and summer with all-white looks.

Tod's put the emphasis on white with tables of artisans constructing white driving shoes inside the showroom, and followed by opening the show with a crisp white look, as did a host of other fashion houses this week, including Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, Del Core and Cavalli.

The fashion crowd arriving at the highly anticipated Gucci show passed through a white tunnel that burst into the colors of a sunset.

Highlights from mostly womenswear previews for next spring and summer on the fourth day of Milan Fashion Week on Friday:

Sabato De Sarno starts a new fashion cycle a year after debuting his first Gucci collection, focusing on some of his self-described obsessions: tailoring, lingerie, leather and a 1960s silhouette.

In its simplest form, a white tank with Gucci-stripe piping was paired with dark trousers with a hemline slit over sneakers, referencing menswear. In its most elaborate, Gucci-monogram overcoats dragged imperially on the runway, and lingerie peeked out of glossy, textured leather.

A blouse slinked insouciantly off the shoulder. Sequined dresses rustled. Crepe dresses were anchored with bamboo-shaped hardware. Mini-skirts bubbled slightly. Floral headscarves or big sunhats finished the looks.

De Sarno dubbed the collection "casual grandeur."

"Moment after moment, I have built my ideas for Gucci,'' he said in notes. "A casual grandeur that takes shape through my obsessions ... and always with an irreverent attitude."

Gucci's front-row glistened with Jessica Chastain, Kirsten Dunst, Nicola Coughlan — who stopped to take a selfie with fans — and Italy's own tennis hero, Jannick Sinner, a Gucci ambassador. A crowd of K-pop fans chanted in anticipation of the arrival of Jin from BTS, another brand ambassador.

In a world abuzz over artificial intelligence, Tod's highlighted artisanal intelligence.

Dozens of craftspeople flanked the showroom, hand-stitching the brand's trademark Gommino driving shoe. Models emerged from beneath a pair of sculptor Lorenzo Quinn's oversized white hands, grasping a spiral of leather.

"Artisanal intelligence goes against what everyone is talking about,'' creative director Matteo Tamburini said before the show. "The focus is on a very elevated product, which is the cornerstone of Made in Italy."

The Spring-Summer 2025 collection started with crisp cotton pairings: trousers or skirts with oversized shirts. The looks were reproduced in a soft leather, intentionally fluid for the warmer months, while a leather overcoat was more sturdily vintage. Asymmetrical cuts and wraps gave the collection a touch of casual elegance. Looks were finished with barely there criss-cross sandals, the new Gommino in glove leather or a clog version.

Tamburini said the only thing he uses AI for is to craft talking points for journalists. "I am not a writer,'' he said, laughing.