This year, the house of Gucci celebrates its 100th anniversary, and that’s no mean feat in the volatile world of fashion. But under the guidance of creative director Alessandro Michele, the Italian brand has resonated across the planet like never before, and it’s making brand statements in a number of leading cities with a series of high-profile showcases. We’ve previously talked about Gucci Bamboo House in Kyoto and Gucci Garden Archetypes which, after stopovers in Florence and Shanghai, is currently held in Tokyo, and now, there’s Gucci Circolo Milano, a new showcase that’s held in Milan alongside simultaneous presentations in London and Berlin. Held at Palazzo Gallarati Scotti, an 18th-century palace in the city’s Duomo district, it comprises a series of experiential rooms and exhibition halls which provide visitors a narrative journey through the various chapters of the brand’s Aria collection, the first collection in its centenary year, designed by Michele and presented last April. The journey begins with Gucci 100 and ends with the presentation of The Hacker Project through a succession of settings that reflect and enhance the uniqueness of the Maison’s aesthetic.
The adventure continues in the Listening Lounge, a sound room that celebrates Gucci‘s long-standing connection with music. Here, surrounded by displays packed with vinyls, guests can embark on a sound journey inspired by the songs of some of the friends of the House, including Harry Styles, Sir Elton John, Florence Welch, Achille Lauro, and a slew of others. The lounge also allows visitors to download a playlist compiled to mark Gucci‘s centenary, to have your photo taken in a photo booth with visual effects inspired by the patterns of the Gucci 100 collection, and to enjoy Gucci Arcade video games. Additionally, visitors have the chance to walk down the runway of the Aria fashion show, recreated in the middle of the second hall, amidst neon lights, flashes and cameras, before finding themselves magically surrounded by the scents and flowers of an enchanted garden. The catwalk gives way to a screening lounge, a meeting place that will host members of the Gucci community on special occasions. The final stage features a tea room furnished with armchairs and sofas, surrounded by abundant floral arrangements (open through Nov 30).
Gucci Circolo Milano
Via Borgospesso 5 (Duomo)
20121 Milan
Mon-Fri 10.15 am-7pm
Sat-Sun 10am-7
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
