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.

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.

''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.

''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.

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