September 27, 2024 | 12:00am
Can you imagine First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in a wool bomber and slouchy, hip-slung trousers and sneakers passing through airport security? Today’s travel is a far cry from how the queen of jetset style rolled in the 1960s with husband President John F. Kennedy —would she have adapted as we have? This opening look of Sabato De Sarno’s latest collection at Gucci, borrowed from the men’s spring collection, epitomizes #airportfashion today: it’s cozy and comfortable for the long haul yet polished and sophisticated enough for the lounge (or avoid the scrutiny of immigration).
Jackie O, a Gucci client (one of their bags is named after her), was De Sarno’s muse. Her “casual grandeur” was at the core of the collection’s vision. It helps that the Kennedys are culturally relevant again: Her grandson Jack Schlossberg is Vogue’s TikTok-ing political correspondent. Ryan Murphy’s upcoming TV show is all about John F. Kennedy Jr. and another casual grandeur icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
At the Gucci show, archival print headscarves and oversized sunglasses call to mind Jackie’s Capri looks. Woven raffia coats (one is in Brat Green) and monogrammed seaside separates, complete with wide-brimmed sun hats, called back to a bygone era making a comeback, inspired by a vintage photo of Queen Elizabeth II wearing Gucci, another nod to the aristocratic origins of jet-set fashion.
De Sarno takes it further with a resort wear vibe in his reinterpretations of Tom Ford’s sleek white jersey dresses from the 1996 collection, offering them in deeper, moodier hues, draped elegantly from gold bamboo-shaped armbands and chokers. The famous Bamboo bag, a hallmark of Gucci’s jet-set image, was a central piece this season. Vintage versions of the bag were customized by Japanese artists, with the brand also highlighting an exhibition in Japan celebrating its 60-year history. Meanwhile, a new shoulder-strap bucket bag with horsebit detailing and fresh takes on Gucci’s iconic loafers, now seen as flat boots, brought the classic jet-set elements into contemporary fashion.
Celebrating one year in the house, De Sarno’s contribution to this style timeline is his proposition to the modern traveler. Oversized coats that nearly brushed the floor, worn with simple tanks and boyish jeans, represented the fusion of effortless, casual luxury with the grandeur of past eras. At Gucci, the spirit of luxury travel has always been about ease — and that timeless elegance never goes out of style, it simply adapts.
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In the Philippines, Gucci is in Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, Makati; Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas; The Shoppes at Solaire, Solaire Resort & Casino; and The Mall at NUSTAR Resort Cebu.
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