‘It’s luxury that wants to be seen’: aristocrats and eccentrics inspire Demna’s vision for Gucci in Milan

Collection by the designer, brought in to return the ailing fashion house to profit, is on the money

He’s the mononymic designer who has been charged with rescuing Gucci from plummeting sales. So where better for Demna to stage his third catwalk show than at the forefront of commerce – a purpose-built Gucci shop.

During Milan fashion week on Friday, the designer transformed a convention centre into a sprawling retail space that mirrored the design for the brand’s new boutiques.

Amid giant stone columns and slabs of Paonazzo marble (in the show’s case, fake), guests including Romeo Beckham, Bianca Jagger, Cardi B and Edward Norton sat on plush couches surrounded by shelves displaying pieces from Demna’s previous collections. Sales assistants hovered close by, available to answer any questions but, to the disappointment of some VICs (very important clients) hoping to indulge in retail therapy, unable to carry out any actual sales.

Demna, who joined the house last July, said he had spent the first year “dedicated to understanding and formulating what Gucci stands for”. He described the show as “his complete personal vision for the brand”, explaining that his research has taught him that Gucci “is about luxury that wants to be seen”.