Gucci: Demna brings sexy back as gucci seeks to reinvigorate the house
Demna made his first catwalk for gucci in Milan on Friday afternoon, staging a provocative show that blended very short, tight dresses with theatrical details and high-profile attendees. The presentation is being framed as a bid to jolt the house after a period of underperformance and amid wider business pressure.
Celebrity front row and a Milan afternoon debut
The show, staged in Milan on Friday afternoon, attracted a guest list that included Donatella Versace and Paris and Nicky Hilton. Invitations had been delivered in plush black velvet-padded jewellery boxes as if they were priceless diamonds, and the event was announced as Gucci “by Demna”, a break with the usual etiquette of a storied luxury house not sharing top billing with an employee.
Runway shocks: Emily Ratajkowski, Kate Moss and a scrolling model
Dresses were so short and tight that Emily Ratajkowski periodically yanked down a handful of disco-ball sequins to cover her bottom as she walked. There were lapdance-bar tinsel hair extensions and Kate Moss appeared in a diamante G-string. At one point a model pulled his phone out of his bumbag and scrolled his way down the catwalk.
Demna cited Botticelli and underground culture backstage
The night before the show Demna had released a statement citing Botticelli’s early Renaissance paintings as an inspiration. Backstage he explained the connection in cultural terms, saying he wanted “to put Gucci back into cultural relevance. Gucci is part of Italian culture – like Botticelli, like Michelangelo. But cultural relevance always starts with underground culture, not with the mainstream, even with a big brand. Gucci has to be fearless. ”
Stagecraft, wardrobe shifts and easier-to-wear pieces
Alongside the most provocative moments, Demna mixed in easier-to-wear elements: high-waisted jeans, leather tailoring, a navy peacoat and pointy boots. He pushed a tone that drew on spectacle and intimacy, at one point acknowledging the disconnect between expectation and result: “Everybody thought I would make oversized bomber jackets with monograms, ” he said, adding, “That’s what ChatGPT said, apparently. But that’s not why I came to Gucci. ” He described his vision for the house as “energy, passion, fun and sex”.
Business stakes: leadership changes, Kering and sales pressure
Demna’s arrival follows a recent brief reign by Sabato De Sarno that was let go after a short and underwhelming run. Gucci is described as the cash cow of Kering, and several years of underperformance have weakened the group. Poor sales have been framed as bad news not just for the company’s billionaire owner François-Henri Pinault and his shareholders but for fashion more broadly, because Kering, when flush, had been the luxury group most willing to take a punt on esoteric brands and innovative designers; when it tightens its belt the industry is less interesting. The optimism around Demna’s appointment has already had a positive impact, with news this month that Gucci’s sales had fallen less than expected — a 3% decrease.
Personal notes, invitations and Demna’s outlook
Demna described a personal shift since taking the role, saying, “For 10 years, I was trying to prove I was smart. At Gucci, I have the freedom to create from an emotional standpoint, not an intellectual one. ” He added that he is happier and healthier than ever and suggested a new self-regard: “and maybe part of it is that I’m falling in love with myself, which I never was before. ” Observers noted the invitation boxes and the shared top billing as a deliberate power move that signals how Demna is positioning himself inside the house.
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