Julia Garner is suffering from serious jet lag. Her body may be on display at Milan Fashion Week — it’s Friday morning, the day of Gucci’s Spring 2025 show — but the red-eyed actress feels as if she’s still on set. “I’m shooting something at night this week, so I’m still in the American time zone,” she tells me, relaxing on the couch in her hotel room.
Exactly one year ago, Garner was announced as one of three faces for Gucci Guilty Elixir alongside A$AP Rocky and Elliot Page. It’s not just the scent (tonka bean, vanilla, wisteria, rose) that appeals to her, but also the message behind the campaign. “The message of this event is acceptance,” she said. “It comes with confidence. The right scent makes me feel very confident. It makes you perform differently than when you go to a party and someone tells you you smell good.”
Nowadays, spritzing a bottle of burgundy before sitting front row at a show is part of its allure. Garner was joined in Milan by her tried-and-tested team: hairstylist Bobby Elliott (who DJed all day, keeping the atmosphere cool by featuring reggae artist Jennifer Lara) and makeup artist Hung Vanngo.
“We’re creating sexy Gucci eyes,” Vango tells me. He used Gucci Palette de Beaute Quatuor in Wild Bouquet, Sabato di Sarno’s signature red color, which Vango applied to Garner’s eyelids to match the monochromatic outfits from his Cruise 2025 collection. Vango also offers the Glow Powder Gel Highlighter in lavender and gold shades and the Blush de Beaute blush in silky rose and warm berry shades. Garner agrees, adding: “It’s a cool, glamorous look, but classic.” “But there’s a subtlety to it.”
Garner applied some more powder and headed out. I asked her what her plans were after the party—maybe relaxing in bed with some pasta?—but she ruined the plan in seconds. “If I knew there was going to be a great dance, I would go there, no matter how tired I was.”
