With the sun finally breaking through in Milan, Gucci designer Sabato De Sarno unleashed a collection of Costal Cool inside the Triennale art space on Monday, the final day of the Italian menswear season.

Though the conversation pre-show was dominated by opinion on his predecessor, Alessandro Michele, who unveiled his first ideas online at his new job Valentino, just three hours before this Gucci show.
 
Hardly an expression of creative collegiality, the gesture produced multiple reactions, not many of them positive, even before the first look by Sabato had hit the runway.

La Misura dell’Amore é Amare senza limite, read the deep violet inscription written on entrance to the Triennale. Meaning “The Measure of love is to love without limits”. Ironical, given what every editor had received in their inbox this morning.
 
That said, De Sarno dedicated this collection to incontri, or encounters. Most of his cast wearing shorts as they set off to meet pals and fresh friends. The first quartet in fact, pared with plasticized trenches in lime green and dusty pink, or dark cotton jerkins. The same hues seen in treated canvas man bags and a natty new mini Gucci B Bag or leather purse with a bonded Gucci logo.
 
Expect a steamy summer next year, where one can party in Sabato’s three-pocket shirts made with embroidered flower prints, and mashups of surfers, dolphins and banana leaves.
 

See catwalk

Though his smartest idea was a gang of beaded and mega fringed shirts and jackets – perfectly timed for a season where clothes have billowed across Milan catwalks all weekend.  
 
De Sarno also happens to be no slouch when it comes to accessories – and his new elongated horse buckle boot was very much the boot of the season.
 
Finishing with delightfully tailored formal jackets again paired with short pants. Indeed, never in the history of major Milan menswear shows have so few male models worn long trousers.
 
De Sarno, with a huge smile, dashed out to take his bow, wearing a shirt jacket in his fetish deep violet, and earning a healthy burst of applause. Since this was a definite statement, and very coherent with his plans for Gucci.
 
Though the applause had a certain hint of sympathy, given the pre-show email counter blast from his predecessor. Which made the whole event feel a little like a Shakespearean play, a latter day Richard III or Othello. Not too sure who should play the king… or Iago.