For more than a century, the Italian luxury house Gucci has been a tastemaker in world of fashion. Starting from its founder Guccio Gucci to his successors Tom Ford, Frida Giannini and most recently Alessandro Michele, the storied brand will be celebrating its 102-year history and rich heritage in an immersive experience—Gucci Cosmos.
Taking place from 28 April to 25 June, the exhibition is a voyage into Gucci’s universe through the decades. There are eight worlds that guests can explore, and these spaces will feature a combination of audio, visual and kinetic experiences. Each “room” has been designed to highlight iconic pieces from the various milestones of the brand and these era-defining works have been taken from its archives in Florence. The brand further adds that the exhibition “demonstrates how the visionary ethos at the heart of the House has continuously reflected and defined the times.”
Curated by Italian fashion critic Maria Luisa Frisa and devised by renowned British artist Es Devlin, the exhibition will make its first stop in Shanghai, China before making its way around the world. The decision to stage the first leg of the exhibition in the Middle Kingdom signals the importance of the country for the brand. Over the last few quarters, it has been observed by industry insiders that Gucci’s growth has slowed down (it grew by 9 per cent on a comparable basis to Q3 of 2021), as most of its stores were closed due to the stringent Covid-19 policies in the country.
Making Shanghai its inaugural stop, Gucci aims to revitalise the brand and recapture the attention of the Chinese people, which would then possibly improve its sales within the local market. The news that China’s scrapping of its COvid-19 restrictions on 8 January was certainly music to the ears of many companies across different sectors. Gucci’s most recent showcase in the country was in 2021, the Gucci Garden Archetypes as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations. The event was attended by many Chinese brand ambassadors such as Lu Han and Ni Ni. Then in June of the same year, the brand’s Aria fashion show was replayed in the city and 13 new looks were added to the collection.
Speaking more about Gucci Cosmos, Marco Bizzarri, president and CEO of Gucci said: “This is an exhibition that will take visitors on a captivating voyage through the House’s past, present, and future. Gucci Cosmos is a true celebration of the brand’s evolution over the course of its 102-year history thanks to the iconic designs and ingenuity that have always defined the brand, and will continue to do so.”
Gucci Cosmos will run from 28 April to 25 June 2023 at Shanghai’s West Bund Art Centre.
This article originally appeared on LUXUO.