Gucci ushered in a bold new chapter at Milan Fashion Week with designer Demna's much-anticipated debut. The brand seeks to redefine its identity and reverse recent sales slumps with a daring and cinematic launch.
Maverick Georgian designer Demna makes his debut for Gucci at Milan Fashion Week on Tuesday with a film featuring a family of Italian characters bursting with attitude, as the house pledged a "new era" in its history.
The 44-year-old took over at Gucci in July after a decade at fellow Kering brand Balenciaga, tasked with helping reverse falling sales.
Demna, who goes by one name, said it was too soon for a full catwalk show this season but unveiled a series of looks on Monday that will feature in a film premiering Tuesday night.
Presented as portraits of La Famiglia (The Family), the mixed men’s and women’s collection takes a humorous look at stereotypes such as the diva, the influencer, the narcissist, and the mama's boy.
There are standout red-carpet gowns, thigh-skimming faux fur coats, chic outfits, sheer vests and minis, classic accessories, and more than a nod to Tom Ford's past reign.
"To me, all these archetypes represent the Gucci crowd — the customers of Gucci in the future — who will each be able to find something in the collection they can relate to," Demna told fashion outlet WWD in an interview published Monday.
The looks will feature in a film, The Tiger, directed by acclaimed filmmakers Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, although the details are still under wraps.
The collection, which the label said "marks the genesis of a new Gucci era," will be on sale at 10 boutiques across the world.
Creative Power
At Balenciaga, Demna — who dropped his last name, Gvasalia, in 2021 — drove sales sharply higher and grabbed headlines with provocative creations.
But Gucci presents a different challenge. The Italian fashion house, famous for its handbags, has struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic amid a slowing Chinese appetite for luxury goods that has hurt the sector worldwide.
Some analysts have questioned whether Demna's formula for success at Balenciaga — heavily rooted in showmanship and streetwear-influenced design — would work in his new role.
He dismissed this as "superficial," telling WWD: "Why would I come to Gucci to do what I've done before?"
"If someone thinks that I will come here and do an oversized bomber with a GG monogram, it means they didn't understand anything about my work until now," he said.
Shares in Kering, which relies on Gucci as its main profit generator, fell around 12 percent on the day of the announcement of Demna's appointment.
But Kering chief François-Henri Pinault insisted that Demna's "creative power is exactly what Gucci needs."
Demna, who fled war in the Georgian region of Abkhazia as a child, gained early notoriety with his $2,000 "Ikea" bag — a luxury leather version of the 99-cent original.
He followed it up with a $1,800 garbage bag — the so-called "trash pouch" — in a March 2022 show dedicated to Ukrainian refugees.
Demna's lowest point came later that year when he was forced to apologize for an ad campaign that appeared to reference child abuse and featured underage models in what looked like bondage gear.
The designer, who co-founded the label Vetements with his brother in 2014 before joining Balenciaga, still has a strong following among celebrities and influencers.
"Demna's great strength is capturing what people want," commented Alix Morabito, buying director for womenswear at France's Galeries Lafayette department stores.
By Alice RITCHIE / AFP
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