October 12, 2023 |
Gucci is going interstellar, hosting a major exhibition in London entitled Gucci Cosmos, running from October 11 to December 31. The immersive experience will celebrate the Italian luxury house’s 102-year history and commemorate the unmatched talent of the artisans who have helped the brand achieve its iconic status. After originally premiering in Shanghai, the display is taking place at 180 The Strand, nodding to the label’s London ties which were sewn when its founder, Guccio Gucci, worked as a luggage porter at The Savoy hotel.
Designed by British stage designer and artist Es Devlin and curated by writer Maria Luisa Frisa, the exhibition is laid out in a series of ‘worlds’, tracking the course of the label’s longstanding innovation, impact on fashion and wider society. Pulling straight from the Gucci archive, many unseen treasures will be showcased, covering periods from its founding to the impact of previous creative directors like Tom Ford and Alessandro Michele, and the brand’s current designer, Sabato De Sarno.
The design of the exhibition is one to behold. Enter the ground or first floor facade and you will be confronted with a two mirror-image bas-relief that mimics Filippo Brunelleschi’s revolutionary dome for Florence’s cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore. Move into the lobby and the original area where Guccio Gucci worked at The Savoy is meticulously recreated – complete with checkerboard marble floor and vintage light fittings. From there, various replications continue to set the scene for this Gucci-fied voyage, including the Ascending Room (which mimics The Savoy’s famous red lift) and the Cabinet of Wonders (a 3D experience spotlighting notable pieces such as Union Jack loafers and a sequinned jumpsuit worn by Harry Styles).
Speaking on the showcase, Es Devlin noted: “For the exhibition’s iteration in London, I wanted draw on the city’s pivotal role in the House’s origin myth in which a young Guccio Gucci rode up and down the red lacquered ‘Ascending Room’ at The Savoy where his interactions with guests and their exquisite luggage would go on to forge his future.”
Ready to dive head first into the cosmos?
Photography courtesy of Gucci. The exhibition is open until December 31 at 180 Studios, London. Tickets are available for purchase here.
