Tomorrow, the world was set to get its first look at Gucci under Demna’s creative direction during Milan Fashion Week. But that wasn’t soon enough. Because this morning, and apropos of nothing, the Italian label dropped its first-ever lookbook during the Demna administration. Unsurprisingly, the internet is already eating it up.
The collection is titled “La Famiglia,” a look into the archetypes that make up the brand’s world, shot like family portraits by Catherine Opie. Each shot is a study of the “the ‘Gucciness’ of Gucci,” explains the brand, and stakes out the territory for Demna’s era as “unapologetically sexy, extravagant, and daring.”
On the men’s side, club-ready looks from Gucci family members named “Partyboy” and “Narcisista” wear shimmering vest tops and silk shirts unbuttoned down to the hip, paired with black trousers and that infamous double-G belt, making its return. Continuing on the sexed-up route, “Figo”(“Cool”) and “Androgino” (“Androgynous”) kept the chest on display in a moto-style leather jacket and sheer mesh top, respectively. “Ragazzo” (“Lad”) and “Bastardo” (well, “Bastard”) were just in side-tied swim briefs and naught-else. There were looks—or, we suppose, family members—for those not wanting to completely bear all, though. The “Direttore” in a single-breasted black suit, worn with a oxblood-red tie, brooch and Aviators. The “Nerd” was in a leather jacket and sweater vest, which recalled the distinctive green-and-red striping from the Gucci of the ’70s, styled with a bow around the collar and puddling trousers with miniature horsebit hardware on each pocket.
While Gucci is one of the world’s most tightly controlled and curated brands, this sort of chaos is a Demna signature. During his 10-year tenure at Balenciaga (and even before that in his Vetements era), the designer became known for unorthodox, guerrilla marketing tactics. There was The Simpsons short film in which Marge is loaned a 19,000 euro dress for her birthday. Kim Kardashian was dressed by Demna and Balenciaga at the Met Gala, and both veiled their identity with black balaclavas on the world’s most photographed red carpet. And lest we forget the Balenciaga video game during the Covid lockdown, Balenciaga’s Afterworld, which let players preview the fall-winter 2021 collection in a dystopian digital world.
It’s unusual. And in a fashion industry that is relying on sellable, classic goods in the face of significant headwinds, maybe Demna’s irregularity will, once again, be a breath of fresh air.
This story originally appeared on British GQ.