From rappers to nonnas, Demna hits shuffle on Gucci stereotypes for SS27

Everyone has an idea of Gucci in their heads. After Louis Vuitton and its monogrammed handbags, Gucci is the second-most copied luxury brand in the world. For many people, the illegal counterfeit industry is their introduction to the brand – whether they realise they’re looking at a fake or not. And while mass knock-offs are ultimately detrimental to any luxury label, they also result in a wider reach and broadened awareness. You could even argue that the fakes make the real thing all the more valuable. Gucci’s global appeal means that a teenager can conjure an image of it as easily as an 80-year-old. Whether you know the brand through rap music, Tom Ford, Harry Styles or equestrian gear, there’s a version of Gucci for everyone. 

Today (September 25) at Milan Fashion Week, Demna celebrated every Gucci stereotype with his SS27 show, paying homage to the many characters who have shaped its legacy – from the tracksuit-wearing 20-year-old rapper to the classy Italian nonna. “Gucci moves easily between aristocracy and pop culture,” the Georgian creative director explained. “Florence and Hollywood, good taste and bad taste (whatever that means), heritage and mass desire, belonging and rebellion.” 

While this marked his third show as creative director, it was the first time he’d presented his “complete personal vision for the brand”, according to the release. And, as a result, it might have been his best yet. Here’s everything you missed from Gucci’s SS27 show. 

Clearly, Donatella Versace is a big fan of Demna. First, she showed up to his runway debut back in February, and today she stepped out in support once again, taking her place on the front row and giggling with Mariacarla Boscono and Bianca Jagger. Cardi B made a grand entrance in a white faux-fur puffball coat, twirling for a circle of gannet-like photographers. Meanwhile Homer Gere was in attendance, fresh from the set of The Shards, alongside Edward Norton, Romeo Beckham, Arca and Camila Morrone. 

For this season’s show space, Demna had erected an enormous Gucci store, complete with shoppable merchandise, try-on areas and security guards watching the doors. The runway began when one security guard opened the door to let the models in, like real-life customers. In the background, a faux exterior gave us a glimpse of a busy Milanese street, where models dashed back and forth, like passersby getting from A to B. Just like you’d find in almost any luxury store, the soundtrack was entirely instrumental – like Demna-fied elevator music. 

First came the menswear, then came the womenswear. Typically, designers who show both mens and womenswear at the same time mix it up on the runway – you get a gender reveal with each new look. But not at Gucci SS27, where Demna kept the collections distinctly separate. A series of sharp, monochromatic tailoring kicked off proceedings, accessorised with dark rectangular sunglasses, reminiscent of Tom Ford’s sexy, sleazy 90s Gucci. Then, as shoulders widened and waistlines were hoisted up, we journeyed back to the 80s, to an era of Gucci beloved by Homer Gere’s character in The Shards. Midway through the menswear, two looks stood out: a silk white bomber jacket, followed by the same style in black leather. Both models wore oversized shades, and one wore a heavy silver chain, like a logos-obsessed, early-00s grifter who’d sell you a fake handbag from the boot of his car. Eventually, we saw versions of how young musicians (like former Gucci models fakemink and Nettspend) are styling their Gucci today: slouchy, undone and falling down, paired with EMO eye make-up and backwards caps. 

The first womenswear look of the show took us back in time to Gucci’s origins. Founded in 1921, the house started out as an artisanal leather and luggage brand, equipping jockeys with horse harnesses. As a result, Demna opened the womenswear segment of today’s show with a jockey-inspired look, followed closely by her affluent Cheltenham mother. That said, her affluence was quickly upstaged by a flock of older female models, embodying the chicest of rich Italian nonnas. Bianca Jagger looked on with pride, cane in hand. The show closed with a glittering array of party-going glamour-pusses. Alex Consani’s skimpy black dress was a reinterpretation of Tom Ford’s white cut-out gowns from AW96, while Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Anok Yai and Candice Swanepoel were dripping in Demna’s exaggerated, mob-wife-hits-the-club aesthetic.