By Alexander Allen
When I think of Gucci, automatically, I think of Tom Ford and his indelible era as creative director for the house from 1994-2004. That speaks volumes, as it has been 20 years since his departure. Luxe. Clean silhouettes. Uber sexiness. Tom Ford completely revolutionized the brand, in addition to, the fashion industry during his tenure.
Images of the Gucci store in New York’s Meat Packing District.
Courtesy of Alexander Allen
There have been several creative directors in place since Tom’s exit, and with each one, there have been moments of excitement, but nothing in comparison to the blueprint that Tom had drafted, implemented, and executed. What mighty big shoes to fill?
On August 21, 2023, I decided to visit the fairly new Gucci boutique on the corner of 14th Street and 9th Avenue, in the Meatpacking District, after calling to see if they had a repair shop. One of my long-time favorite Gucci belts was coming apart, which prompted my visit, and what a lovely visit it was.
Upon entering the 9,000-square-foot spacious, well-decorated, and luxurious boutique, I was greeted by Alana, a lovely sales associate, after pointing me in the right direction for my repair, she gave me an in-depth tour and backstory of the concept store. Designer labels’ concept stores are a crown jewel. Specialty items. One-offs. Updated classics.
Honestly, I was underwhelmed with what I had been seeing lately at Gucci. Prior to visiting the Meatpacking location, I thought it was a pop-up shop, like the Dior store that was present, prior to Gucci taking the space over. However, with every stop that Alana and I made, I was pleasantly surprised with the latest Gucci products. They had personality, flair, and a certain wow factor that I’ve grown accustomed to seeing at Gucci, but I haven’t seen, as of late. Bejeweled, open-toe stilettos in an array of colors, and similarly, corresponding belts. A strong array of boots and cool GG placements on the clothing for both, women and men, all done by the Gucci design team. A standing ovation.
A month after my in-store visit, Sabato De Sarno, Gucci’s new creative director, debuted his clean, chic, and modern s/s ’24 fashion show. So refreshing after the past couple of years of seemingly heavy heritage collections. A bright and promising start for Sabato’s era.
Gucci in the Meatpacking District feels like the old MPD days, when Jeffrey, Stella McCartney, and Alexander McQueen were all on 14th Street. Now, we have new fashion heavy hitters in the neighborhood with the likes of Hermes, Maison Margiela, and Chrome Hearts.
On November 10, 2023, Davide Renne, who was the head of womenswear at Gucci for 20 years, “apparently died of a heart attack,” according to The New York Times. Nine days prior, Davide officially became the creative director of Moschino.
Sabato has truly revitalized the Gucci brand and advertisements. With custom looks on the hottest starlets, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, for some of Hollywood’s biggest events, and ads featuring the on-again, off-again couple, Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny, Gucci mania is in full effect.
Gucci love, Alexander Instagram and Threads: @WestViewNewsManAboutTown
