Gucci Autumn/Winter 2025: a classic yet subversive collection

It hasn't quite been a month since Sabato de Sarno surprised us all by announcing he was stepping down as the Creative Director of Gucci after just two years.

While we wait to find out who will design for Gucci next, rumours of Hedi Slimane are rife, and die-hard Tom Ford fans unsurprisingly wish him back. The talented in-house team has taken on the honour of creating the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection.

The result? Designs that are both classic and subversive, strict but sexy, that nod back to some of the best decades of the house.

Models walked down the entwined dark green Interlocking G of the catwalk – the initials of founder Guccio Gucci - a logo that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The collection embraced the codes of Gucci past, present and future, that distinctive sense of Italian style that is synonymous with glamour, sleekness and effortlessness.

There were crystal-embellished velvet catsuits, sequin pencil skirts, sharp suits and silk dresses. Seemingly prim outfits undercut by a flash of flesh or a pop of colour.

Of colour, there was plenty. Vibrant purples, pinks, reds and greens echoed in the menswear line as well.

I mentioned a nod to the house's archives: the silhouettes of the 1960s were prevalent throughout the collection - no coincidence since that was the inception of the Gucci ready-to-wear line.

Ladylike gloves, duster coats, pencil skirt suits, mini dresses and head scarves traversed time and became more modern thanks to the addition of sheer and shiny materials, vibrant hues and exaggerated details.

More minimalist, 90s-inspired looks - plunging bodysuits, high-neck jumpers, oversized jackets and slim tailoring - peppered the collection.

At the heart of all the accessories was another cult Gucci symbol: the Horsebit (also celebrating a big anniversary this year, its 70th).

My favourite was the gold Horsebit lariat necklace which looked impeccable on everything from halterneck dresses to pointed collar shirts.

The motif was also spotted on waist chain, the giant handle of the re=imagined classic Horsebit 1955 bag and the new Gucci Siena bag.

There's no doubt about it, Gucci's Autumn/Winter 2025 collection will be a tough act to follow.