Why colour-blocking is the one key trend we’re taking from the Gucci Cruise collection

Gucci cruise orange outfit

Credit: Gucci

Fashion


Why colour-blocking is the one key trend we’re taking from the Gucci Cruise collection

By Lauren Cunningham

Updated 10 months ago

3 min read

We’re sure to see this trend everywhere this summer, and it’s incredibly easy to recreate. 

Powerhouse luxury label Gucci recently took a trip to London, taking over the Tate Modern for a celeb-filled Cruise show. Sitting among the front row were Kate Moss, Demi Moore, Salma Hayek, Little Simz, Debbie Harry and many others eager to see creative director Sabato De Sarno’s first Cruise collection. But, celeb-spotting and location aside, the looks were spectacular and plenty of trends are starting to trickle through.

Described as “Englishness with an Italian accent” by Gucci, we saw models walk the runway in trusty jeans and delicate blouses, midi skirts and oversized bomber jackets and plenty of sheer pieces similar to those spotted on the recent autumn/winter 2024 runways. And, many looks – regardless of structure, shade and style – had one core thing in common: colour-blocking.

Whether a sheer shirt and trousers, a crinkle-cut skirt and bomber jacket or a high-shine leather co-ord, the colour match was perfect. And, to make things more interesting, it wasn’t just the one shade receiving the colour-blocking treatment – orange, red, pink and green all came down the runway as one singular style.

So, expect colour-blocking to be a big trend for summer – it’s one of the easiest ways to plan an outfit as well, speeding up your routine by simply sticking to one singular shade. Here’s how. 

pink skirt and top gucci

Credit: Gucci

Stick to one singular shade

Sticking to one singular shade may seem like a given when it comes to colour-blocking outfits. But if you want to make it more impactful (and similar to de Sarno’s designs) we encourage you to be selective with your shades – no similar variations on pink or green, but an exact match. At first glance, you shouldn’t easily see where one piece of clothing ends and the other begins. Not only will this make your look instantly more eye-catching, but it will also create an outfit that looks a little more elevated without too much effort. 

Gucci cruise colourblock red outfit

Credit: Gucci

Lean into layering

You can throw on a dress or jumpsuit and call it a day when it comes to colour-blocking, but the most impactful looks are made up of layers – think a skirt, top and jumper all in the same shade or shoes, trousers and a shirt. While this does require some searching, pulling out every green, red or white piece in your wardrobe to try to find those that perfectly match, the result will be well worth it. And, of course, you can always start off by styling the most common shades you have in your wardrobe – most likely black, beige or white – to build up your colour-blocking confidence before playing with brighter, bolder colours. 

Have fun with fabrics

While colour-blocking may seem to be all about one singular shade, it can be made much more interesting through fabric as well. Just as we saw on the Gucci Cruise runway, incorporating different textures into each look will take it from classic colour-block to a standout style: sheer skirts with leather jackets, jeans with a silky shirt and, for special occasions, sequins always make an outfit more exciting. As long as the colour of each piece is the same, you’re free to have fun with all other aspects to nail the colour-blocked look. Simple, right? 

Images: courtesy of Gucci

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