Gucci’s Milan Fashion Week Show Premieres in The Metaverse
Gucci’s “Dream Big” division, dedicated to exploring Web3 and metaverse initiatives, has conjured a pioneering metaverse experience to go with the fashion brand’s debut showcase under a new designer. The show, led by Sabato De Sarno, Gucci’s recently appointed Creative Director, premiered at Milan Fashion Week on Friday, September 22.
Spanning across three major metaverse platforms, Gucci rolled out three unique virtual experiences. These digital forays enable Gucci to bring its original concept of an open-air event to life despite the real-world Fashion Week event being relocated indoors due to unforeseen weather challenges.
The event, dubbed “Gucci Ancora” — translating to “encore” — was initially visualized in the vicinity of the esteemed Accademia di Brera. Within Roblox, Gucci has revamped the “Gucci Town” space, first introduced in May 2022. Now rebranded as “Gucci Ancora,” the updated design draws inspiration from Milan’s Brera district, emphasizing the city’s artistic vibrancy.
One of the interactive rooms features transformative artwork, leading to interactive tasks that unravel parts of the show and offer hidden treasures and portals. According to the Roblox website, limited-edition rewards can be “earned by playing all three mini-games within this creative neighborhood where art and fashion come together.”
Emphasizing the intertwining of fashion and art, Gucci also backs a public art exhibition. This entire vision, including the meticulous replication of Milanese architecture, finds its digital counterpart on Roblox, Zepeto, and China’s QQ, ensuring a worldwide reach. A similar digital spirit is present in Zepeto, the South Korean app and social media platform to personalize avatars and create virtual worlds. It integrates elements from the Brera area and the fashion display, enabling avatars to explore outfits showcased during the event in a crimson theater setting.
On the Chinese platform QQ, owned by Tencent, Gucci also set up a virtual space where visitors can view the show, complementing a previous virtual initiative aligned with Gucci’s Cosmos exhibition. In 2022, Gucci also broadcasted its Milan Fashion Week event via its “Super QQ Show” in the metaverse. Users of QQ were able to watch the show either from their personal virtual spaces or from a seaside musical square on the digital platform. QQ has a vast reach in China and offers an avenue for fashion brands to engage closely with audiences.
This initiative in the metaverse builds upon Gucci’s initial presence, established in 2021. The luxury brand has established notable partnerships in Web3, with its Aria film NFT release in 2021, its partnership with Yuga Labs in 2022, and its generative art collection with Christie’s in 2023.