When the new Gucci was first birthed, online communities were quick to play spot the difference — and understandably so. For half a year, the house’s newest induction — creative director Sabato De Sarno — had the fashion world held their bated breath, sitting still and crossing their fingers for a better Gucci than the one they had known. Not because the old Gucci was disliked, nor because De Sarno had a reputation that preceded him — but because he was new, and people wanted to like new things.

It was easy to see how the new Gucci was different, especially in objects that felt familiar. Under De Sarno’s directive, the infamous Gucci belt has been reinstated as a hot commodity. Monograms are pervasive — sign posting a return of the logo-mania phenomenon — and the house’s line of Jackie and Horsebit iconography is rematerialised in more opulent hues. The Jackie — which had spent the better portion of the last decade as an emerging hero for the house was reinvented with a lobster clasp-style buckle, seductive layers of Brat-toned green, or swathes of python-embossed leather. All of which are a mature departure from the sprightly florals and teddy bear prints that once encased the bag under different leadership. Other grown-up exemplars from Fall/ Winter ’24 included practical GG-motif backpacks and the new, archive-influenced Gucci B bag that share a similar inflation of their size and utility.

Rekindling that spark with house loyalists can be challenging — especially when one lacks familiarity with them — but De Sarno has done it with grace through mature, refined ways. Catering to that sweet spot of seduction and nostalgia, and cutting through with a thoughtful touch of practicality, De Sarno has found an unlikely voice through his and the house’s baggage — each a comforting reminder that this is where the old and the new converge.

Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our August 2024 issue.