Gucci delivered one of the most talked-about shows of the season, particularly what it represented for the future of the brand. With Demna officially stepping into Gucci’s new era as creative director, the runway felt less like a simple collection presentation and more like a statement that the house is trying to redefine itself after years of declining sales.

The creative direction was clear almost immediately. This was a Gucci rooted heavily in sensuality, confidence and references to the brand’s Tom Ford years of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The audience saw ultra-fitted silhouettes, slim tailoring, leather jackets, low-rise trousers and shimmering dresses that leaned into sex appeal and skin-tight bondage. Models moved through the runway with intensity, many wearing body-conscious pieces that abandoned the oversized silhouettes dominating fashion in recent years.

Image by Gucci Primavera Fall/Winter 2026

There was a noticeable shift away from visual chaos. Instead of overwhelming the audience with heavy layering or theatrical styling, the collection felt sharper and more controlled. Demna appeared focused on rebuilding structure within the brand rather than shocking audiences. Even the accessories reflected this. Structured handbags, cleaner lines and more restrained use of logos suggested a return to product-focused luxury rather than relying solely on spectacle.

Still, traces of Gucci’s past remained everywhere. Horsebit details, Bamboo bags and flashes of the classic green-and-red stripe grounded the collection in the house’s identity. The influence of Tom Ford’s Gucci was impossible to ignore. Many looks echoed the era that made Gucci synonymous with glamour and provocation, but instead of feeling nostalgic, the references felt intentional, as though the brand was revisiting one of its most commercially successful periods to regain confidence in its image.

Kate Moss at Gucci Primavera Fall/Winter 2026

Celebrity casting also became part of the conversation. Figures including Kate Moss, Emily Ratajkowski and Vivian Jenna Wilson appeared on the runway, helping generate immediate online discussion and reinforcing the collection’s connection to celebrity culture and modern visibility. In typical fashion week fashion, social media reactions were divided. Some praised the show for finally bringing back a sexier, more focused Gucci, while others questioned whether the heavy reliance on past references left enough room for originality.

Image by Gucci Primavera Fall/Winter 2026

What stood out most was the tension between heritage and reinvention. Gucci appears caught between preserving the codes that made the brand iconic and trying to modernize them for a younger audience increasingly driven by online culture and instant visual impact. Demna’s approach seems aware of that pressure. The collection balanced recognizable Gucci glamour with the sharper, more culturally aware edge he became known for during his time at Balenciaga.

Image by Gucci.com

The reception ultimately reflected the risk of such a major creative shift. Some saw the collection as a reset the brand desperately needed, especially after Gucci’s recent commercial struggles. Others viewed it as polarizing, and too far off from the source.

Gucci’s has made a deliberate attempt to reclaim identity, glamour and relevance in a luxury market moving faster than ever. Whether audiences fully embrace the new direction remains to be seen, but one thing was clear by the end of the show, Gucci no longer wants to play it safe.