GUCCI’S TIMES SQUARE CRUISE SHOW: AN EXPANSION OF ‘GUCCICORE’
words by ANOUK WOUDT
Shutting down the tourist-drenched, ever-bustling Times Square for the Gucci Cruise 2027 runway, Demna unveiled his sophomore Gucci collection with a move that’s audaciously loud in a way that felt unmistakably him. Hijacking every screen in sight, the usual carousel of advertisement were replaced by alternating runway footage and fictional ‘Gucci Pets’ ads, surrounding the square in a sort of fashion panopticon. Stars studded not only the audience, but the runway, bringing back familiar faces from his last show — Alex Consani, Vivian Wilson, Gabriette — while also expanding the Gucci-verse with newly inducted members, including Paris Hilton, Cindy Crawford, and Tom Brady.
images via @gucci
Blocking off the surrounding streets with towering black barriers, this setting choice was definitely no easy feat. Traffic was detoured and a lot of tourists’ Saturday nights were derailed, but its audacity was nevertheless enthralling, drawing in A-Listers from all corners of the industry, from Kim Kardashian to fashion’s biggest critic, Anna Wintour.
Spectacles aside— though the scale makes it hard to ignore — the collection itself felt fitting for its NYC backdrop. Reading as an ode to the New York cityscape and its people, the collection shifts throughout all kinds of characters from the sleazy Wall Street finance bro to a Staten Island mob wife, with each look slowly piecing together a map of the city. The opening look makes this clear, pairing a slick fitted suit with a (Big) Apple clutch, of course, branded with a golden Gucci fruit stamp. Tom Brady’s look also had everyone abuzz (and not just because it’s Tom Brady), with a tight full leather outfit that definitely drew all attention.
Coats were either long and overbearing or cutely cropped, in a constant interplay of max and minimalism. Streetwear influences made their secondary appearance, embodying the hypermasculine roadman vibe that swarmed his debut. Feathery explosions, sparkles, animal prints adorned many looks breaking up scenes that sometimes drifted into monotony, ending with a feathered gown worn by the iconic Cindy Crawford.
With its title ‘GucciCore’, it’s clear that this collection is aiming to establish the new Gucci identity under Demna, reframing the house as an adjective, a lifestyle — more than just a brand. It’s audacious, it’s messy, and honestly, it’s infectious. The ironic trashiness that came to define Balenciaga seems to have stuck with Demna, cementing this now as a signature of Gucci. Serving as an extension of his debut show in Milan, this collection brings recurring motifs of fur excess and dark, bold energy, defining these features as the building blocks of Demna’s Gucci. Despite it being unmistakably Demnafied, the collection still upholds the house codes, parading the classic GG emblem and signature red-and-green webbing straps, whilst continuing a subtle homage to the Tom Ford era.
