GUCCI'S 2026 COLLECTION IS A HYBRID OF ITS ECLECTIC PAST
It’s been about two months since that Demna announcement broke the internet. While we wait for his official debut (he’s still got a couture curtain call at Balenciaga) something curious happened at Gucci’s 2026 Cruise collection in Florence. The collection was unveiled at Archive Gucci and dare we say… Demna’s presence can already be felt?
As Demna no doubt gets ready to sharpen Gucci’s edge, the house looked to its heritage for its Cruise Collection. Turning its past into a springboard, morphing the eclecticism of Alessandro Michele and the sexiness of Tom Ford.
A Frankenstein collection of Gucci’s past, the collection was both classy and chaotic. Set in the Archive Gucci building, which is home to the brand's archive and many, many, many stories and creative directors. With a star-studded guest list including Paul Mescal, David Jonsson, Julia Garner, and Mark Ronson. The show notes read, “Gucci is Florence and Florence is Gucci” and that sentiment rang loud across the courtyard.
Florence is where Guccio Gucci first etched those interlocking Gs into fashion history, and Cruise 2026 made a case for heritage not as a crutch but as momentum. It wasn’t a nostalgic pause - it was a dramatic press play.
Margot Tenenbaum Coats, Sequinned Slips & Naughty Accessories
The collection saw a sharp pivot back toward that rich Gucci weirdness we know and love - think Alessandro Michele’s magpie maximalism mixed with a touch of Tom Ford-era seduction. Fuzzy Margot Tenenbaum fur coats rubbed shoulders with sleek leather pencil skirts, pussy-bow blouses shimmered like rippling water, and swishy party dresses came dipped in silver lamé, polka dots, and psychedelic prints. Styling turned the volume all the way up: trippy dresses layered over velvet crystal-covered leggings, earrings shaped like gold pigs and enamel snails, and what can only be described as pervy tinted aviators. The whole vibe? Wildly eclectic, unapologetically playful, and teetering on the edge of couture camp.
Is That… Demna?
The Demna touch that he became beloved (or not) for at Balenciaga was definitely present, with exaggerated silhouettes, blow-up outerwear and quirky styling Carrie Bradshaw herself would be proud of.
Of course, the house is keeping lips sealed on just how involved he’s been so far, but Cruise 2026 certainly hinted at what’s to come: a future-forward Gucci that still reveres its past but is no longer afraid of getting a little dirty.
The Bigger Picture: Where Does Gucci Go From Here
Cruise 2026 wasn’t a reinvention - but it was a confident recalibration. This was heritage-in-motion, where slick tailoring met sparkle, and archival silhouettes got zhuzhed up for a new generation of Gucci girls (and guys, and everyone in between).
There’s a lot to love from a retail perspective, too: instantly shopable accessories, standout makeup, and a yet-to-be-named handbag - possibly the new It girl? - that had buyers leaning in. The craftsmanship? Elevated. The styling? Irresistible. The only thing missing was that singular, visionary voice to fuse it all together.
And that’s where Demna comes in. Or, at least, that’s what we’re waiting for. Because as strong as this collection was, it still felt like a bridge: a beautiful, glittering bridge between what Gucci has been and what it could soon become.
