Three years ago, Gucci’s Cruise show took place in Seoul, South Korea. It was a collection between Alessandro Michele’s departure and Sabato De Sarno’s anticipated debut, designed by the Gucci studio. Yesterday, the Italian house found itself in a similar position—an interim phase. De Sarno’s short-lived tenure and subsequent exit came as somewhat of a surprise, given the length of time the Italian designer had to see an untick in Gucci’s profits. While we all wait with curiosity to see what ex-Balenciaga designer Demna will do with the storied house, the show must go on, and this season, the brand brought guests to Florence at the Palazzo Settimanni, into the archives, with a collection created by the Gucci studio once again for Cruise 2026.
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The collection—not unlike the last we saw from the studio team—was an amalgamation of references from the history of the house’s previous creative directors. There were sequin dresses and pussy bows from Michele, and crushed velvet gold and green slinky pants from Tom Ford’s era. Remnants from De Sarno’s tenure arrived in the form of muted leather bomber jackets, oversized suiting, and patent leather pumps, while Frida Giannini’s legacy was left behind in the threads of mid-length skirts and fur-trimmed outerwear.
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Accessories this season were relatively sparse, with ‘70s style, thick-framed aviator sunglasses and monogrammed top-handle bags. Gucci’s long connection to the notion of Italian glamour was present through oversized fur coats, pops of fuchsia and electric blue, and printed silks.
This was married with underpinnings of Tom Ford’s mid-century glamour, with plunging necklines and skinny little belts, before morphing into the slightly more modern Gucci that we came to know through Michele’s reign. Still vintage-inspired, but as the evening looks began to emerge, so did the Michele-esque polka dot, one-shoulder gowns and black lace evening dresses.
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All of these looks had a sentiment behind them: a melting pot of what’s been before and what’s to come for the house. Demna's incoming position is one with incredibly high stakes, especially in the midst of a luxury slowdown. Will he be able to do enough with his superstar status? September should give us a better idea.
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