Kate Moss, 52, closed Gucci’s autumn/winter 2026 show in Milan wearing a floor-length black sequinned gown with a low open back that revealed a Nineties-style “whale tail” G-string, a detail that instantly evoked the house’s most provocative era. The supermodel, who famously walked in Tom Ford’s debut Gucci collection in 1995, returned to the runway as part of a star-studded cast that included Karlie Kloss, Emily Ratajkowski, Irina Shayk, Alex Consani and Elsa Hosk.
Presented in a darkened room with models emerging from a doorway casting stark light to create the runway, the collection felt dramatic from the outset. Each look stepped out of shadow and into the light, an apt metaphor for Gucci’s transformation under new artistic director Demna, formerly of Balenciaga. The autumn/winter 2026 collection was a clear homage to Tom Ford’s sultry mid-Nineties vision for the brand, which reasserted Gucci as a luxury powerhouse.
Slinky satin skirts, low-waisted straight-leg trousers and deep V-neck shirts dominated the womenswear, while pencil skirts cut above the knee were paired with sharp tailoring. Body-conscious sequinned dresses featured dramatically high leg slits, and slip dresses recalled minimalist glamour. Latex and leather injected a grunge edge, and sheer embellishments offered glimpses of skin beneath crystal detailing. Feather trims edged gowns and hems, creating movement.
Menswear also played with codes of exposure and vulnerability, with barefoot male models walking in loose two-pieces that contrasted with the high-gloss womenswear. The Nineties revival extended beyond silhouette to attitude: fur was slung over shoulders, structured handbags carried primly, and struts were confident and knowingly provocative.
The audience response was emphatic. Stars including Demi Moore, Donatella Versace and Alessandro Michele sat in the front row. As Moss completed her closing walk, clutch in hand, the room rose to its feet in a standing ovation – a rare accolade during a season defined by reserved admiration. It seems Gucci’s message was that the Nineties are not merely back; they are reclaimed and reasserted, and judging by the reception, people are more than ready for it.
