Julia Roberts and Ryan Gosling among stars at highly-anticipated Gucci show

Julia Roberts and Ryan Gosling were among a host of A-list celebrities at the highly-anticipated Gucci show at Milan Fashion Week.

Iconic actor Roberts, 55, was dressed by the brand in an oversized grey blazer and baggy shorts worn over a light grey cardigan.

Barbie star Gosling, 42, who previously fronted a Gucci ad campaign, wore a black leather jacket and trousers.

He accessorised his outfit with Seventies-style tortoiseshell aviator sunglasses.

Kendall Jenner donned a short, belted Gucci trench coat, which she teamed with a maroon mini shoulder bag and matching kitten heels.

The model and reality TV star sat on the front row next to her rumoured boyfriend, Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny.

Irish actor Paul Mescal was seated next to Ozark star Julia Garner at the show, which took place at Milan’s M77 gallery.

Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey and producer and DJ Mark Ronson – who provided the music – were also in attendance to see creative director Sabato De Sarno unveil his first collection for the brand.

Anticipation had been building for the show dubbed ‘Gucci ancora’ (meaning ‘again’ in Italian) after the brand deleted all of its previous Instagram posts a week ago.

“Ancora means a lot of things. It means again, but it’s also more personal; it’s not something you lost, it’s something that you still have, but you want more of it because it makes you happy,” De Sarno told Vogue ahead of the show.

So did the new creative director wipe the slate clean with his inaugural offering?

Essentially, yes – this was a huge departure from the maximalist aesthetic favoured by his predecessor Alessandro Michele, who departed last year.

Opening with a series of black and white short suits and mini shift dresses, the spring/summer collection focused on clean lines and sleek silhouettes.

While Michele was known for his kooky, granny-chic designs, De Sarno offered a more overt sexiness with tiny bra tops, micro mini skirts and very short shorts.

Alongside boxy tailored looks and lots of patent leather there was a sporty, streetwear vibe with oversized hoodies and casual white trainers.

Jeans (increasingly seen on the catwalks) were indigo, low-slung and baggy, no doubt appealing to young customers who love the Noughties look.

Handbags – a huge moneyspinner for Gucci – largely stayed true to the label’s DNA, with the exception of a few bling-covered styles.

Veering in a more glamorous direction, there were crystal-embellished crop tops and skirts with sparkly tassels.

A series of silky pastel slip dresses with black lace trim tapped into the popular ‘boudoir dressing’ trend, while glitzy beaded minidresses are super to be a hit with celebrities on the red carpet.

Reaction to the collection on social media was mixed.

While most commentators agreed that De Sarno put his stamp on the brand, not everyone was convinced that his designs were ‘Gucci’ enough.

Like if you're looking for a cute everyday luxury collection, De Sarno definitely delivered that. The general public will definitely love it, especially the accessories. But I think we're so used to LOUD Gucci that this feels almost...disappointing.

— linda (@itgirlenergy) September 22, 2023

Fans of Michele’s irreverence and maximalism weren’t happy with the change of direction, but ultimately it’s the luxury brand’s customers who matter the most.

Time will tell whether De Sarno’s vision is a hit with shoppers when the collection lands in stores next year.