Following Alessandro Michele’s departure from Gucci after a successful seven-year tenure, the Italian fashion house tapped Sabato De Sarno as the new Creative Director, and the anticipation for his first collection was finally over on September 22. The new collection gave us a less embellished and animated aesthetic that the Gucci brand had seeped into for previous collections and introduced a new epoch, with salacious refinement at the forefront.

“Ancora” is a story of joy, passion, humanity, irreverent glamour, confidence, and specifically: simplicity. The collection was powered with definitive elements and fundamental Gucci staples, cleaning out the eccentricity with a sleek lookbook. De Sarno tells a story of richness and lust/desire with statement colorings of red, and the tropics of blue, green, and tangy orange. One might suggest the collection to be reminiscent of the Tom Ford for Gucci era, filled with 90s-inspired shapes, and pieces that are reinvented from Ford’s reign, such as a dazzling Jackie bag and a white going-out top decorated in crystals and baggy blue jeans.

While the collection did not have the same eccentric flare as we have seen in the past decade, De Sarno implemented playful details in the form of sparkly dresses, glimmering bags, shimmery bra-tops, chainmail flourishes, and funky doll-esque platform loafers in polished leathers and crocodile imprints. A bright Chartreuse was unveiled in the form of slingback heels and a flashy fringed jacket, along with chunked-up gold necklaces and ear candy.

A bedazzled A-line dress was seen paired with timeless blue denim, combining chic with effortless comfort. Models were swallowed by massive leather jackets perfect for transitional dressing, and legs were worn as an accessory- with underwear and micro shorts replacing pants. Sheer and lace were intertwined for a sultry twist on a modern slip dress.

Business-wear silhouettes take the form of pencil skirts, suits, and mini skirts coated in vinyl and patent leather for the working Gucci girl.

The first collection by De Sarno was an ode to the Gucci of the past and present, whilst constructing a contemporary wave for the future of the Maison with stylish and refined pieces.