Demna at Gucci: A Match Made in Chaos?
Demna, the reigning king of irony, anti-fashion, and how ugly can I make this shoe before you still buy it?—handling Gucci’s creative direction? Now that would be a plot twist worthy of a Netflix docuseries.
Picture it: Gucci’s once-romantic, baroque wonderland stripped down to post-apocalyptic minimalism. Alessandro Michele’s dreamy maximalism? Gone. Sabato De Sarno’s polished quiet luxury? Also gone (and honestly, did it ever fully arrive?). Instead, we’d get dystopian tailoring, meme-worthy campaigns, and a collection launch featuring models walking down a runway looking like they’ve just survived the end of the world. Gucci-fied refugees, anyone?
Of course, this could go two ways:
A- Genius Move: Gucci has always been about reinvention. If anyone can make people obsess over a deliberately destroyed handbag priced at $10,000, it’s Demna. Imagine the hype, the TikToks, the inevitable think pieces. Fashion critics would eat it up—and probably still be hungry for more.
B- Risky Shift: But let’s be real—Gucci’s longtime customers might not love seeing their heritage house turned into an avant-garde social experiment. Luxury escapism is a thing, and Demna is more about luxury existential crises. Can he balance his love for provocation with Gucci’s need to sell, you know, actual clothes?
Either way, expect chaos. If it works, we’ll all be wearing inside-out suits and carrying handbags that look like they survived a house fire. If it flops? Well, in true Demna fashion, he’ll probably make that the next trend too :p
Kering: The Luxury Group with Commitment Issues.
Gucci’s potential Demna-fication is just the latest chapter in Kering’s ongoing identity crisis. The group has been swapping creative directors like they’re trying to find The One on a dating app—except instead of ghosting, they just cut the contract.
So, what’s going on?
1. Gucci’s Post-Michele Hangover.
Alessandro Michele was the life of the party, but by 2022, the glitter had settled, and sales were slumping. Enter Sabato De Sarno, Kering’s attempt at quiet luxury rebranding. But so far? It’s been more mute luxury—polished, yes, but lacking that viral, must-have energy. And Kering doesn’t do patience.
2. Balenciaga’s PR (and Market) Struggles.
Demna turned Balenciaga into a streetwear-luxury empire… until the 2022 ad scandal sent the brand into damage control mode. While it’s stabilizing, Kering might be rethinking just how much risk they want to take with Demna’s signature shock value meets couture aesthetic.
3. Gambling on New Talent (and Losing?)
Kering has been taking big swings on new creative directors—like rolling the dice on Sabato De Sarno—but unlike LVMH, which plays the long game with its designers (looking at you, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Nicolas Ghesquière), Kering wants instant results. And when they don’t get them? Well…next!
Why Can’t Kering Just Chill for a Second?
- Financial Pressure: Gucci is Kering’s cash cow. If it stops mooing, they panic.
- LVMH Competition: LVMH is out here winning (again), and Kering is scrambling to stay in the game.
- Short-Term Thinking: They want fast turnarounds, not slow-burning success stories.
The Verdict?
If Demna does take over at Gucci, it’ll either be the boldest power move in luxury history or a beautifully chaotic mess. Either way, we’ll be watching. And judging. Because isn’t that what fashion is all about?
