One thing’s for sure, you’ll have no trouble finding Gucci’s latest venture in London.
Just past Shoreditch’s overground station, on the corner of Chance Street, you’ll find a square building covered in a spray painted Gucci monogram and sapphire print. Step through velvet green curtains and enter a world of GG covered everything (from pillows to pencil cases) in the space dedicated to the label’s creative director Alessandro Michele’s musical inspirations.
Songs can be selected from the a vintage duke box (Gucci Gang being the most tempting offer) before you enter a glowing white space presenting the ‘Gucci 100’ collection, a celebration of the fashion house’s centenary year.
The print that covers the exterior walls can be found on bags, caps and loafers; full length green velvet overcoats are embossed with horse-bit patterns, and t-shirts pay homage to singing greats – ‘And the men notice you, with your Gucci bag crew’ covers one t-shirt nodding to Amy Winehouse’s ‘F*ck me pumps’. Elsewhere the slogan ‘Music is Mine, Gucci Recline’ comes on everything from stacked suitcases to bomber jackets, while limited edition red sneakers and suede handbags are emblazoned with ‘Gucci 100’. (If you feel like a treat, everything’s for sale.)
Step into a side room and find a darkened library curated by Idea, the cult publisher based in Dover Street Market. Vintage classics line the walls, and Michele’s personal favourites sit in a glass box in the middle.
Upstairs there is a Shoreditch House style work space and café, with an added bonus: this one’s for free. Pass the terrace and there’s one final room, the Listening Lounge, glowing red and stacked with records. A group of artists, from Billie Eilish and Elton John to Arlo Parks and Gucci girl Florence Welch, have selected their own favourite tracks for you to choose from. Just grab a vinyl and put it on.
The celeb-set checked it out for the opening party on October 6, hosted by Gucci’s CEO Marco Bizzarri who welcomed emerging artists like Celeste and Connie Constance, Griff and Kam-Bu into the fold. More events of the sort can be expected with this version of the pop-up continuing until December 9, before its second iteration will be unveiled.
Gucci had already begun putting its stamp on Shoreditch with striking murals that covered buildings, but this marks a physical step into the area – its museum-cum-meeting place atmosphere offering an Italian hub in East London. Head over to step into Michele’s wonderland for a moment.
