28 February 2026 |
Sexy Italian glamour with a knowing wink.
Demna’s debut Gucci collection arrived with all the anticipation—and spectacle—you’d expect from one of fashion’s most significant creative appointments. At Milan’s Palazzo delle Scintille, surrounded by replica marble statuary from Florence’s Uffizi Museum, the designer presented Gucci Primavera, a palette of propositions for existing customers and those the designer hopes to win over.
“Presenting it in a monumental, museum-like space, surrounded by marble statuary, expresses how I view this incredible House,” Demna explained in the show notes. The setting certainly delivered: darkened spaces punctuated by classical sculpture, with a front row that included Donatella Versace, Alessandro Michele, Demi Moore, Paris Hilton, and rapper EsDeeKid.
The clothes themselves leaned heavily into body-conscious sensuality that nodded clearly to Tom Ford’s celebrated Gucci tenure. Seamless white minidresses in hosiery fabric clung to models like a second skin, while male models walked in sleeveless tees that revealed chiseled physiques underneath—inspired by Renaissance ideals of proportionality. Demna also proposed “partyboy” sets of matching embellished fitted tops and slinky trousers, worn barefoot. Fluid tailoring came cut in liquid-like fabrics with low-cut jackets and horizontal-pocketed trousers, while risqué gowns featured waist-high slits and dramatic cutouts—all signatures of Ford’s minimalist bodycon era.
The runway cast reinforced Demna’s vision of Gucci as a cultural touchpoint. Gabriette wore a bodycon stretch lace sequined minidress and sky-high patent leather platform mules, while Emily Ratajkowski appeared in a sparkling mini and stilettos. Alex Consani and Mariacarla Boscono brought their own energy to the tight, body-revealing garments, and underground rappers Nettspend and fakemink added an unexpected twist—the latter stopping halfway down the runway to check his phone, scrolling for a beat before continuing his walk.
Accessories dominated, as expected from Gucci’s bread-and-butter business. The signature Bamboo 1947 bag got a sleeker update with a handle made of flexible leather sections, while archival minaudières were stretched to fit modern essentials. The new Manhattan sneaker combined basketball shapes with slip-on ease.
Then came Kate Moss in the closing look: a dramatic backless black gown with a white gold GG thong bedazzled with 10 carats of diamonds peeking out—pure Tom Ford–era glamour reinterpreted for Demna’s Gucci. “I hope I made you feel Gucci today because that was my main purpose, to feel the energy, the passion, the fun, the sexy,” he told WWD after the show. Mission accomplished.
