It would be a lie if I told you I wasn’t half panicking slash squirming on my bench when Gucci’s first couple of looks under Demna’s new creative direction came out on the runway. It was his much anticipated debut, if not the only show people really came to Milan to see, and Prada, obviously.
The first models coming out on the runway were wearing ultra tight leggings, ultra high heels, ultra fitted T shirts, everything was an exaggeration of character. My brain was trying to connect the dots: Botticelli’s Primavera, “Gucci is not a Maison”, the set design that looked like a museum, Paris Hilton front row, I was confused. But I’ve also had the chance to see Demna’s work at his previous job at Balenciaga, to know that he is the king of sociological depictions. He is also a master of awareness and I think he knew exactly what he was doing, starting with the very Tom Ford 1990s era, with overly forced sexy silhouettes that felt so unrelatable to 2026, to the now.
And then came look 36 out of 83, it was a coed show, and I finally saw Demna’s version of making Gucci into an adjective, a way of being, an attitude. A midi length navy blue silk dress that has a neck zip like a sweater, leather horsebit pointy black boots and an oversized fur trimmed coat. It didn’t feel forced, it felt, however, powerful. Like a woman on a mission to go and get what is rightfully hers. My eyes were attracted to the glitter heels that Demna also had at Balenciaga, the horsebit accessories, the cropped puffer coats and globally, let’s be honest, the good merch. The good news is some of the pieces are already available to sell online, in a see now buy now drop that went up just under an hour post show.
I’m acutely aware that the happy few invited to the fashion shows aren’t necessarily the final consumer, so the market’s reactions to the brand new merch will be a close one to monitor. Press can write whatever they want, numbers prevail above all, always.
