Gucci offers sneak preview of Demna's debut collection

Reuters: Gucci revealed the first styles by its new designer Demna on Monday, posting dozens of images on Instagram a day before Milan Fashion Week kicks off with a scheduled presentation by the Kering-owned.

The eagerly awaited Gucci debut of the former Balenciaga designer is set against a backdrop of an industry undergoing a design reboot in an effort to revive sales in the luxury sector.

The images of Demna’s “La Famiglia” collection posted on Instagram show women’s and menswear looks ranging from sweeping gowns to sharp suits with long hems pooling slightly at the feet. There are also bulky shoulders, low-waist trousers and a range of handbags.

“The collection marks the genesis of a new Gucci era: unapologetically sexy, extravagant and daring,” a Gucci statement said.

The social media teaser before the official launch in Milan was applauded by Anne-Laure Chansel, a researcher who teaches luxury marketing at Paris’s EIML business school.

“The comments are already positive: drama is back in a spirit that is 100 percent Gucci,” she said.

The collection will be available in 10 stores worldwide — Los Angeles, New York, London, Milan, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo — for two weeks from the day after a premiere film on Tuesday.

In an interview with industry publication WWD on Monday, Demna referred to the Instagram reveal as baby steps.

“I’m not yet defining my Gucci vision, but the platform on which I build that. I want to reset the understanding and perception of what Gucci is through my reinterpretation,” said the Georgian designer, who cited the Gucci brand’s era under designer Tom Ford as inspiration.

Demna’s first fashion show will take place in February.

The early reveal — highly unusual for an industry that traditionally shows new styles to a select audience at runway shows — reflects efforts by fashion brands to find new ways to connect with inflation-weary shoppers, particularly younger generations seeking more affordable fashion.

After averaging annual growth of 10% for nearly a decade, the sector slumped last year, triggering a flurry of changes at the leadership and creative level.

Gucci has struggled longer than many of its rivals and reported a 25% decline in second-quarter sales in July. Last week owner Kering appointed Francesca Bellettini as new Gucci CEO to turn around the brand’s fortunes.