Beyond Heritage with Xiao Zhan

In anticipation of Gucci Cosmos, the House’s immersive archival exhibition travelling the world, Global Brand Ambassador Xiao Zhan takes a trip to where the story began in 1921—Florence. Guided by curator Maria Luisa Frisa, he visits the Gucci Archive situated in the historic Palazzo Settimanni in the Santa Spirito neighborhood of the city. There, he is introduced to the House’s iconic codes and holds the predecessors to today’s signature bags—Gucci Bamboo 1947 and Jackie 1961. They are the ephemera of Gucci, objects born with an exact purpose in a specific moment, but which later became fundamental for reconstructing the story of the brand. Stay tuned for the next episode when he visits ArtLab, the House’s innovative center for prototyping leather goods and shoes to see the creation of signature designs.