For the occasion of Gucci’s 100th anniversary, Gucci Garden in Florence has reopend with the exhibition “Archetypes.” Diving into the house’s expansive, magical vision under the care of Creative Director Alessandro Michele, the immersive show engulfs viewers in a series of artfully crafted environments looking to the inspirations behind its collections from recent years.
Courtesy of Gucci.
“I thought it was interesting to accompany people in these first six years of adventure, inviting them to cross the imaginary, the narrative, the unexpected, the glitter. So, I created a playground of emotions that are the same as in the campaigns, because they are the most explicit journey into my imagery,” said Michele, who curated the exhibition.
Courtesy of Gucci.
To translate Michele’s collections into physical environments, Gucci called upon the design studio Archivio Personale. Beginning in a staged behind-the-scenes operations center, visitors at the Gucci Garden will find themselves faced with 15 collections transformed into physical spaces—ranging from the Cruise 2016 “GUCCI GOTHIC,” to Fall/Winter 2016 “Tokyo Lights,” to the Spring/Summer 2020 “Of Course a Horse” collection.
“Archetypes” encompasses experiences like a multi-screen installation looking at Gucci’s renowned lipstick campaign with singer Dani Miller; a hidden garden from the campaign “Gucci Bloom,” expressing a new vision of femininity with Dakota Johnson, Petra Collins, and Hari Nef”; and a circular projection giving visitors the impression they are dancing in line with the performers from the Pre-Fall 2017 collection, all accessible in-person and through a virtual tour online, presented by Roblox.
Courtesy of Gucci.
Viewers will also find themselves faced with a graffitied staircase offering an homage to the Parisian youth of “May 68,” from the house’s Pre-Fall 2018 collection; a hand-painted mural by multi-disciplinary artist Ignasi Monreal; a retro bathroom scene in red from the “Rebellious Romantics” collection; a mystical, mirrored hall exhibiting imagery from “The Dionysus Dance”; an embodiment of “#GUCCICOLLECTORS” featuring vast encasements of collected items like butterflies, clocks, and shoes; and more.
Courtesy of Gucci.
In line with the occasion, Gucci Garden has also debuted its first limited-edition fragrance, part of The Alchemist’s Garden collection. On display within the Gucci Garden, visitors should be on the lookout for the new scent (limited to 1,000 bottles), which has been packaged in a dark, lacquered glass reminiscent of a vintage apothecary, and emits notes of the magical broom flower, along with more subtle hints of violet and benzoin.
