THE JOURNAL
The past year has seen its fair share of changes in fashion’s creative leadership. In a landscape of largely cautious appointments, Demna’s arrival at Gucci was one of the most exciting shake-ups of all. Before settling in Florence, the Georgian designer led Balenciaga for a decade, transforming it into one of the most influential and controversial fashion houses of our time. In the process, he helped reshape how people think about and approach getting dressed. He’s built his legacy and modus operandi on interrogating and breaking the norms. On reframing – rather than polishing – a house’s heritage and its vision for luxury through audacious irony, subversion and streetwise cheek.
At Gucci, Demna’s instinct for disruption landed on fertile ground. The Italian house has long conveyed a certain romantic maximalism and excess – an unmistakable, so-called “Gucciness”, the very essence of the brand that is even more “unapologetically sexy, extravagant and daring” under the new vision.
“I shaped the collection by imagining a constellation of characters, asking myself what Gucci means to me, from its archive to the many identities it embodies,” Demna said in reference to his debut line-up. The collection was presented via a series of framed portraits of a family of sorts – La Famiglia – of archetypal characters that make up the world of Gucci. The fil rouge that brings together the extremely diverse yet harmonious aesthetic attitudes is a laid-back ease and studied nonchalance typical of Italian sprezzatura.
There’s Il direttore (the director) in a Jacquard monogrammed suit that loosens up towards the bottom, with a crest brooch that signals his status. The attention-seeking Il principino in a devoré, GG logo-embossed, chest-baring two piece that recalls the slinky silhouettes of the brand’s Tom Ford era. The nerd comes in a ribbon-neck knitted top sexed-up by a blazer made in French Plongé leather, a high-quality lambskin that’s subject to a full-grain tanning and special dyeing technique to retain its naturally soft, almost fluid handle.
The dependable guy next door – il ragazzo della porta accanto – is rendered through a smart overcoat layered over relaxed denim and a fine sweater with the house’s signature web intarsia. Figo – the cool guy – is everything you’d expect from a coming-of-age crush, in stone-washed denim with horsebit details and a sturdy bull leather jacket that also hints at the house’s equestrian heritage.
These are just a few of the personas that embody the Gucci crowd. But you don’t have to be one of them to appreciate the designs. The collection is intended for everyone, away from conventions, aware that needs change, identity shifts – and so does style. Gucci’s commitment to craftsmanship still anchors every single one of these items, from the specially treated leather jackets to the hand-finished jeans, which are given an easy, worn-in appeal to look just like the ones you’ve worn for years.
As for the accessories, the bags take centre stage. House codes are cemented into this new vision with an extra-large version of the iconic Jackie, the smaller, moon-shaped Lunetta and the spacious Brera – together forming a lineup designed to meet you wherever you’re headed, with a bag for every pace, mood, and moment of the day. For whoever you feel like being. That’s what the new Gucci is all about.