Gucci is thrilled to unveil its newest project, Gucci Cosmos: an ingenious exhibition showcasing the most iconic pieces from the House’s 102-year history. This immersive adventure, debuting in Shanghai this April 2023, pays homage to the Florentine heritage of Gucci and celebrates its eternal creativity.
Gucci Cosmos delves into how the House’s unchanging principles and vision have been brought to life through its most legendary designs. These unforgettable classics continue to inspire and influence the visionary designers of Gucci, who reinterpret and reinvent these timeless pieces. By embracing the power of creativity, coupled with exceptional Italian craftsmanship and tradition, Gucci has not only reflected the times but also influenced each era, pushing society’s aesthetic boundaries.
Conceived by the illustrious Italian fashion theorist and critic Maria Luisa Frisa and designed by the renowned British contemporary artist Es Devlin, Gucci Cosmos takes visitors on an exciting journey through Gucci’s past, present, and future. Comprising of eight themed “worlds,” the exhibition showcases rare treasures from the Gucci Archive, including never-before-seen pieces. The archive, located in the fifteenth-century Palazzo Settimanni in Florence, is the heart and soul of Gucci’s creative team.
Each “world” of the exhibition explores a unique aspect of Gucci’s history, from its founding principles by Guccio Gucci to the pioneering spirits of Aldo and Rodolfo, and the creative vision of Tom Ford, Frida Giannini, and Alessandro Michele, the latest directors of Gucci’s creativity.
Es Devlin believes that Gucci’s ability to evolve and transform is due to our cognitive adaptability and the fluidity of our consciousness, much like how a piece of clothing can change and adapt. Maria Luisa Frisa comments that the Gucci Cosmos exhibition is an opportunity to rediscover and narrate Gucci’s journey through a fresh perspective, showcasing how the House became a symbol of avant-garde in the world of fashion and collective visual culture.
Es Devlin has incorporated innovative sound, visual, and kinetic technologies to create an awe-inspiring experience for visitors. The exhibition’s arrangement evokes a set of wheels and gears, a subtle nod to the industrial heritage of the Shanghai building where the exhibition takes place, symbolizing the city’s rich history as a hub for commercial and cultural exchange between Europe and Asia. Gucci Cosmos captures the eternal nature of Gucci’s visionary ethos, creating meaningful dialogues between the most iconic designs of the House, its craftsmen, creatives, and society as a whole, alluding to the orbits of celestial bodies in the cosmos.
Gucci Cosmos opens its doors at the West Bund Art Center in Shanghai on April 28, 2023, until June 25. The exhibition will subsequently travel across the world, inspiring and captivating audiences globally.
