Gucci Has Entered the Demna Era
Demna’s first collection for the house, La Famiglia, reimagines Italian glamour with his unapologetically daring signature.
When Demna Gvasalia was announced as Gucci’s artistic director in March 2025, the fashion world collectively held its breath. The Georgian designer, celebrated for his uncompromising vision at Vetements and Balenciaga, is one of fashion’s most daring disruptors.
At Gucci, he follows a long lineage of transformative creative directors: Frida Giannini, who leaned on polished heritage; Alessandro Michele, who catapulted Gucci into maximalist eccentricity; and Sabato De Sarno, who sought to pare things down with sleek sophistication. Demna’s task is to restore the house's cultural impact while navigating financial pressures—and his first full manifesto, titled La Famiglia, arrives finally in Milan.
Gucci Drops Demna Gvasalia's "La Famiglia" Lookbook
Demna's opening statement comes as a surprise—in the form of a lookbook titled La Famiglia. Photographed by Catherine Opie, the series frames Gucci as a family of archetypes: fiery Incazzata in a crimson ’60s coat, decadent La Contessa swathed in embroidery, exuberant La Diva wrapped in cobalt faux fur, and even a sly L’Influencer parodying the online fashion obsessive. Each portrait is at once Italian and cinematic, glamorous yet edged with irony.
Gucci describes the collection as “unapologetically sexy, extravagant, and daring,” a phrase that captures its tug-of-war between sprezzatura elegance and Demna’s unmistakable bite. The collection embodies facets of what Gucci calls “the Gucciness” of the brand.
The clothes themselves are a study in contrast. Extremes collide as feathered opera coats and high jewelry appear alongside sleek, hosiery-inspired bodycon silhouettes. Eveningwear slips into menswear through sheer sets and black-tie swimwear—a sly nod to la dolce vita with a Demna twist.
Heritage pieces are reimagined: the Bamboo 1947 bag resized for new proportions, the Horsebit loafer revived, the Flora print darkened into a nocturnal bloom, and the GG monogram pushed to all-over excess. Even the gestures feel Italian, from slingback kitten heels worn loose to mules stepped in with deliberate nonchalance.
La Famiglia marks an important pivot for the house as Demna reinserts storytelling into the brand’s DNA, something Alessandro Michele once wielded with maximalist fantasy but in an entirely different register. Where Michele’s Gucci was dreamlike and romantic, Demna’s feels satirical and sharp, refracting Italian glamour through a lens of irony.
Throughout the brand's history, Gucci has always embodied a duality—sexy yet surreal, classic yet excessive. Demna doesn’t attempt to erase or alter that history. Instead, he highlights it, amplifying both the heritage and the humor. While it's too soon to know whether his vision will resonate with Gucci’s loyal clientele, one thing seems clear: this era of Gucci will not play it safe.
La Famiglia is very Italian, very Gucci, and very Demna.
Gucci “La Famiglia” collection is available exclusively in 10 Gucci stores worldwide from September 25th to October 12th. The nearest store in the Philippines is Gucci Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
