which adorned the runway, and the Horsebit, which appeared across accessories. (All photos courtesy of Gucci)
If life is a movie, then Gucci is the fashion house ready to dress you for every scene.
At Milan Fashion Week, Gucci delivered more than a runway show—it staged a cinematic experience. The Fall/Winter 2025 presentation unfolded on a sleek, mirrored catwalk at Superstudio Maxi, where fashion met film in a way only the Italian luxury house can orchestrate.
To score the spectacle, Gucci tapped Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz, best known for his work on La La Land. As models took to the runway, Hurwitz conducted a live orchestra, filling the space with a sweeping original composition that heightened every swish of a coat and flick of a heel. The star-studded front row, which included Jessica Chastain, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Parker Posey, Dev Patel, and Lee Jung-jae, lent even more red carpet credence to the evening.
And the fashion? Equally cinematic. The show opened with a look that could have walked straight off the set of a Fellini masterpiece: lace lingerie layered under a structured pencil skirt, topped with a voluminous faux fur coat. Add a pair of heels, and it was pure drama in motion. (Fittingly, Gucci once supported the restoration of La Dolce Vita, the Italian director’s most famous work.) That flair for character continued throughout the collection, with each look conjuring a different archetype: the femme fatale in powder pink satin; the noir anti-heroine cloaked in a sweeping coat of glossy leather or wool; and Hitchcockian muses in buttoned-up tweed suits and prim gloves. The final flourish? A series of ’60s-inspired A-line dresses that channelled French New Wave cool.
But Gucci’s vision for Fall/Winter 2025 didn’t end on the runway. To bring the collection into the real world—or rather, to remind us that the “real world” can be just as theatrical—Gucci launched The Gucci Portrait Series, a campaign shot by celebrated American fine art photographer Catherine Opie. Known for her intimate and socially reflective portraits, Opie brought a quiet gravitas to the series, photographing a diverse cast of models and non-models—people of all ages, body types, and lived experiences—against a plain backdrop.
What emerged was a study in presence and individuality. Thanks to Opie’s empathetic lens and Gucci’s masterful styling, the campaign had the unguarded beauty of vintage Hollywood screen tests. Each subject wasn’t styled to play a part—they simply were. The clothing, no matter how statement-making, amplified their personality rather than disguised it. The result? An authentic, emotionally resonant portrait of contemporary elegance.
Even Gucci’s most recognisable motifs took on new meaning in this context. The Horsebit—lifted from the iconic Gucci Horsebit 1955 bag, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year—appeared in unexpected forms. Chainlink necklaces, sculptural chokers and waist-cinching belts featured the equestrian emblem in gleaming gold and antique finishes, adding subtle punctuation to slip dresses, catsuits and structured jackets. It was heritage reframed for the now.
Elsewhere, design nods to Gucci’s creative lineage paid homage without feeling like pastiche. A burnt orange velvet dress with a pussy bow—recalling the GG Marmont’s signature chevron—evoked Alessandro Michele’s romantic maximalism, while the louche use of velvet and sequins whispered of Tom Ford’s sultry sophistication (Ford, notably, is an award-winning filmmaker himself). The boxy jackets and unexpected colour palette—acid green, bright purple, mustard and butter yellow—carried the rebellious undercurrent of Sabato De Sarno’s last creative efforts before his recent departure from the house.
Despite the echoes of its past, the Fall/Winter 2025 collection wasn’t about nostalgia. Designed by Gucci’s in-house team, the collection struck a rare balance between continuity and evolution. It was a statement of self-assurance after a period of transition, proving that the house’s codes—some dating back more than half a century—remain fertile ground for reinvention. Nowhere was that more evident than the runway itself, boldly stamped with the Interlocking G motif, a visual anchor amidst aesthetic shifts.
Founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921, the brand has weathered many evolutions, but its ability to bridge eras is what keeps it culturally relevant. From Old Hollywood glamour to contemporary gender fluidity, from aristocratic equestrian to streetwear provocation, Gucci is never just one thing. This latest collection reminded us why: when a house truly knows its own language, it doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
For the Gucci woman—and indeed, the Gucci man—this season offers more than style. It offers a role to step into, a narrative to explore. These are pieces designed not just to be worn, but to be remembered. Like the best costumes in the best films, they linger long after the credits roll.
This story first appeared in the September 2025 of GRAZIA Singapore.
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