Gucci Fall/Winter 2025, a nostalgic reinvention amid an era of transition

Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection unfolded in Milan with a show that blended the past, present, and future, echoing the house’s long-standing ethos of reinvention. Titled Continuum, the collection was a reflection on Gucci’s heritage, its evolution, and the ever-shifting cultural landscape it inhabits. Since Sabato De Sarno’s sudden departure, the in-house design team delivered a collection that felt like both a tribute to the codes that have defined Gucci and a foundation for what’s to come.

A cinematic journey through time

Presented on an entwined dark green runway shaped like the Interlocking G—a symbol honouring founder Guccio Gucci—the collection played with duality, fusing masculine and feminine elements into a seamless dialogue. Gucci has always been cinematic in its vision, and this season was no different, with a live orchestra performing an original score by Academy Award-winning composer Justin Hurwitz. The grandeur of the moment was unmistakable, yet the collection itself leaned into quiet luxury, embracing the refined, lived-in elegance of sprezzatura—an effortless approach to dressing that has always been integral to the brand’s DNA.

Tailoring took centre stage, with sharp, structured silhouettes softened by unexpected flashes of skin and textural contrasts. Slender menswear suits featured slits at the pant hems, subtly revealing the Achilles tendon—framing it as an unexpected new erogenous zone. Meanwhile, womenswear found power in precision, from slit pencil skirts to glossy, structured outerwear in zesty hues. A dialogue between hard and soft emerged throughout the collection, seen in slubbed tweeds juxtaposed against fluid crepe de chine, brushed mohair shirting layered with mother-of-pearl leathers, and coated wools seamlessly bonded with bouclés. The palette moved through moody greens, deep mauves, soft browns, and classic Gucci greys, creating a sense of cohesion across both men’s and women’s looks.

The horsebit legacy

If there was one motif anchoring the collection, it was the Horsebit—a Gucci signature celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. Oversized to minuscule, the emblem appeared across accessories, from waist chains draping over open-back dresses to statement jewellery and reimagined leather goods. The Horsebit 1955 bag, a house classic, was transformed with ultra-soft construction, while the new Gucci Siena handbag introduced a structured take, fastening with a half-Horsebit closure. Footwear, too, embraced this heritage, with the motif appearing on plush, comfortable slippers that exuded understated elegance.

Retro glamour and modern refinement

Nostalgia ran deep in this collection, pulling from the late ’60s—the era of Gucci’s first ready-to-wear collection—through the hedonistic ’70s, the sharp minimalism of the ’90s, and even nodding to the maximalism of recent years. Ladylike dressing took on a subversive edge, as lacy slips peeked from beneath boxy wool coats, and twinsets in unexpected shades of acid green and deep purple played into a good taste/bad taste dichotomy. Accessories remained true to the house’s eccentric yet polished aesthetic, with baseball caps layered under silk scarves, thick-rimmed glasses reinforcing the geek-chic sensibility, and gold, dangling Horsebit necklaces adding a touch of opulence.

Menswear followed a similar interplay of tradition and reinvention. Glossy, textured coats in butter yellow and mottled mauve nodded to past eras while feeling undeniably modern. Bomber jackets fused with trench detailing, tailoring remained slender and refined, and mules—worn with slitted trousers—offered an effortless alternative to traditional footwear.

A star-studded front row

The show wasn’t just about the collection—it was also a major moment for Gucci’s global influence, with an A-list front row packed with some of the biggest names in entertainment and fashion. Chinese superstar Xiao Zhan arrived in a Gucci leather and knit bomber jacket embroidered with house emblems, styled with dark denim and the iconic Gucci Horsebit 1955 bag. Squid Game’s Lee Jung Jae embraced effortless sophistication in a grey wool knit ensemble paired with the GG Monogram Gucci Savoy duffle. BTS’s Jin brought his signature polish in a jacquard GG Shadow suit, while actress Park Gyu-young opted for a cool, off-duty look featuring bleach-washed denim and the acid-green Gucci Bamboo Diva handbag.

Thai heartthrob Billkin Putthipong Assaratanakul showcased two distinct Gucci Cruise 2025 looks—first a green and white jacquard bomber with embroidered detailing, and later a bordeaux and multicolour rib-stitch knitwear jacket styled with fluid drill pants. Meanwhile, Kingsley Ben-Adir made an appearance at the 56th NAACP Image Awards in a custom red Gucci tuxedo, exuding old Hollywood elegance.Gucci’s presence also extended to the 31st Annual SAG Awards, where Jodie Foster turned heads in a custom beaded fringe gown, Charlie Foster donned a classic Gucci tuxedo, and Lily Gladstone’s stunning custom dress, crafted in collaboration with Indigenous designer Joe Big Mountain, made history—soon to be showcased in the Smithsonian’s Making a Statement exhibition.

The future of Gucci

As the show drew to a close, the design studio team took a final bow, dressed in matching green sweatshirts that mirrored the curtain-lined venue. Their collective presence reinforced the idea that Gucci is bigger than any one designer—it is a continuum, shaped by artisans, creative minds, and the customers who have made it their own over the decades.

This collection may not have been a revolution, but it was a reflection—one that honoured Gucci’s legacy while setting the stage for its next chapter. What comes next remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the world will be watching.

All Images: Gucci 

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