Gucci's Demna blends aristocracy and pop culture at Milan Fashion Week

MILAN: Gucci designer Demna on Friday unveiled what he described as his first complete personal vision for the brand, presenting pagoda-shouldered tailoring and cropped, puff-shaped outerwear, as the Kering-owned label seeks to revive growth after a prolonged downturn.

In what Gucci called “The store show”, models walked through a series of neutral tone retail-inspired rooms, a setting the brand said offered a glimpse of how Demna’s aesthetic could shape Gucci stores in the future.

The show, Demna’s third, presented men’s and women’s collections sequentially.

Former Balenciaga’s Demna was appointed Gucci’s creative director in March 2025, effective from July, taking over the creative helm of the Kering-owned label after the departure of Sabato De Sarno.

“Gucci moves easily between aristocracy and pop culture, Florence and Hollywood, good taste and bad taste (whatever that means), heritage and mass desire, belonging and rebellion, and the interplay between the two”, Demna said.

Gucci’s new ‘Made in China’ sneaker models break with Italian tradition

Sales at Gucci fell 3% in the second quarter, less than expected, as strong US demand for its new handbags partly offset weaker spending elsewhere, suggesting the group’s turnaround efforts may be gaining traction.

Reuters reported this week that Gucci has begun selling new luxury sneaker models labelled “Made in China”, in a break with its Italian manufacturing tradition. Some industry watchers say could undermine the brand’s high-end image as it races to win back middle-class shoppers.

Milan Fashion Week, which opened on Tuesday with Prada’s show, runs through Sunday. The schedule still includes presentations from Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta and Giorgio Armani.