Gucci Memoria: An Exhibition Curated by Demna

Words by Lynn Mathuthu | Photography by Sebastian Nocelli 

Nestled within Milan’s Chiostri di San Simpliciano, Gucci presents its own Garden of Eden. Conceived as a continuous narrative, Creative Director Demna Gvasalia has transformed the monastery, inviting audiences into Gucci’s 105 year history while showcasing its evolution and shifting identity.

Unfolding across the cloisters, the exhibition brings together a series of installations spanning tapestries, a botanical environment inspired by the Flora motif, and interactive elements including custom-built vending machines. Together, these components form a layered scenography in which different mediums exist in dialogue.

The Botticelli-like tapestries signal a shift in composition, colour and atmosphere, tracing the house from its mythologised origins through to contemporary reinterpretations. Demna Gvasalia appears in the final tapestry, titled Work in Progress. With the support of the atelier, he is depicted sewing together the signature red coat from his debut La Famiglia collection. Other tapestries reflect on previous creative directors who shaped the house. Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director from 2015 to 2022, is among them. He is portrayed astride a horse, leading the house towards discovery, accompanied by figures dressed in richly layered gowns and coats adorned with his signature motifs.

The exhibition offers an expansive overview of the House of Gucci, guiding audiences through its journey from a young Guccio Gucci at the Savoy Hotel to Demna’s present day creative vision. Visitors are encouraged to reflect on both past and present while taking in the arches and gardens of the monastery.

Gucci Memoria will be open to the public from April 21 to 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, Piazza Paolo VI, 6, Milan. Registration is available on Gucci.com.