GUCCI REWRITES ITS STORY THROUGH THE STREETS OF FLORENCE: A NOSTALGIC ECHO BEFORE THE GVASALIA ERA

Gucci’s Cruise 2026 show unfolded as a delicate balance between ritual and anticipation — a symbolic homecoming to Florence, the brand’s birthplace, and a suspended moment before the creative shift expected in September, when Demna Gvasalia officially steps into the role of creative director.

The heart of the event? Palazzo Settimanni, home to Gucci’s historical archive. But the real surprise came when models emerged into the open, walking through Piazza Santo Spirito like a live urban tableau, bringing fashion back to the streets — raw, visible, and intentionally uncontained.

A powerful gesture, one that sparked controversy in Florence regarding the use of public and historic spaces for private events. Surrounding streets were shut down, access restricted, but the city — as so often in its long history — found itself once again cast in a supporting role in a grander narrative.

Archive as a Rite of Passage

This collection wasn’t just a lineup of looks — it was a transition. A visual narration that braided together decades of Gucci’s aesthetic evolution, layering the creative legacies of those who shaped its identity.

The silhouettes subtly echoed the sensual severity of Tom Ford’s era, the theatrical and baroque flair of Alessandro Michele, and hints of more restrained classicism. All of this, of course, preludes the radical vision expected from Gvasalia, whose style is anything but conventional.

Controlled Chaos, Styled Rebellion

The looks? A curated disarray. Flowing dresses with plunging necklines and sheer overlays, lace blouses paired with suede pants, grand coats draped over light, ethereal ensembles. Femininity took on a bold new rhythm — less polished, more provocative, deliberately untamed.

The accessories? Collectible statements. Oversized tinted sunglasses, sculptural earrings, and standout bags — each element contributing to a story that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. Among them, the new Giglio bag, already making waves on social media, seems destined for cult status even before its official release.

A Whisper from the Maurizio Gucci Era

There’s a distinct flavor here — a return not just to past aesthetics but to cultural memory. The mood evokes the early 1990s, with echoes of Maurizio Gucci’s era and even earlier codes. It’s more than archival homage — it’s a structural need to re-anchor the brand’s identity before the creative storm expected this fall.

A Transitional Chapter

Cruise 2026 reads like a bridge — a temporary composition that gathers what Gucci has been, just before it becomes something else. There’s no creative director officially at the helm, which makes the show feel collective, layered, and fluid. A living fresco of past and future, rebellion and legacy, waiting for the next jolt.

Now, it’s Demna Gvasalia’s turn to rewrite it all.