Demna Gucci Debut: Inside the “La Famiglia” Collection

PetitePaulina – The highly anticipated debut of Demna at Gucci has arrived, marking a fresh chapter for the Italian luxury house. On Monday, the designer revealed his first collection: a surprise 37-look presentation plus a trunk. Photographed by Catherine Opie, the lookbook was released one day before The Tiger, a short film directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn in Milan.

Instead of a runway show, Demna presented the collection as a family portrait series. Each outfit became part of “La Famiglia,” a symbolic household where every character carried a distinct personality. The approach underlined his vision for Gucci: fashion defined not only by clothes but also by storytelling.

Gucci “La Famiglia”

Demna’s Gucci begins with the idea of kinship. “Gucci La Famiglia” introduced a cast of personas — La Contessa, Drama Queen, Androgino, Introverso, and more. Each embodied a unique energy but remained united through Gucci’s aesthetic codes.

The narrative opened with L’Archetipo, a monogrammed travel trunk. It nodded to Gucci’s origins as a luggage maker. From there, silhouettes unfolded in a mix of nostalgia and modernity. Think strong shoulders, clashing fabrics, glamorous gowns, and playful irony.

Heritage Meets Disruption

At Balenciaga, Demna challenged fashion with radical provocation. At Gucci, he chose a softer yet powerful approach. Critics praised his ability to merge archival references with fresh execution.

Observers spotted clear influences: Tom Ford’s sensual minimalism, Alessandro Michele’s romantic excess, and Demna’s cultural sharpness. Yet this was not a rigid statement. Instead, it felt like an open canvas, leaving room for future exploration. That move kept the fashion world intrigued.

Standout Pieces

Within hours of release, fashion search platform Tagwalk highlighted the most viewed looks. The “Milanesa” chevron fur coat, the “Sciura” blue shearling coat, and the “Gallerista” black suit stood out in womenswear.

In menswear, Nerd, Narcisista, and Introverso gained the most attention. The top keywords tied to the collection were black, eveningwear, and high-necked, proving Demna’s skill at updating timeless style codes.

A Calculated First Step

This debut felt more like a teaser of Demna’s Gucci than a final declaration. The variety of characters and silhouettes showed restraint, but also intention. By keeping the direction open, Demna left audiences eager for more.

And in fashion, that is always the smartest first move.