MILAN — Gucci has just named Demna its new creative director and is setting the foundations for a new chapter. But at the same time the company is paying tribute to its 104-year history with a focus on its silk craftsmanship and archival designs that have contributed to its brand awareness.
Launching the “90×90” project, Gucci invited nine international artists to reinterpret five selected themes rooted in the brand’s archives: flora, fauna, nautical, equestrian and GG Monogram.
In addition, the book “Gucci: The Art of Silk,” created in collaboration with Assouline, will be published by the end of April tracing the history and artistry behind Gucci’s silk scarves.
An image from the Assouline book “Gucci: The Art of Silk.”
On April 1, Gucci will kick off the sale of the “90×90” scarves and launch a campaign dedicated to the silk and foulards segment. The next day, Gucci will host activations dedicated to “The Art of Silk” project in Paris, including an event in its Rue Saint-Honoré store and a dinner dedicated to the campaign.
Gucci began to develop its silk craftsmanship in the 1950s, and the earliest designs featured motifs inspired by the brand’s signature leather goods.
The first scarf that was precisely dated harks back to 1958, produced in Como, Italy — the nautical-themed “Tolda di Nave [Deck of a Ship].”
Gucci’s 1958 “Tolda di Nave” foulard.
Throughout the 1960s, Gucci elevated its scarf designs by collaborating with illustrator Vittorio Accornero de Testa, whose intricate details and vivacious motifs contributed to Gucci’s stature in the segment. Between 1960 and 1981, Accornero designed nearly 80 scarves, transforming silk into wearable art.
Scarves grew to become central to Gucci’s identity, and by 1969 silk extended beyond accessories to clothing, with scarf prints embellishing shirts and dresses — a trend which has continued over the years until today.
The Motifs
The Flora scarf, one of Gucci’s most iconic designs, was created in 1966 when Princess Grace of Monaco put in a request for a colorful and exuberant design and Rodolfo Gucci, son of founder Guccio Gucci, asked Accornero to assist.
With a design made up of 43 varieties of flowers, plants and insects, painted entirely by hand and inspired by 15th-century artist Sandro Botticelli’s “Allegory of Spring,” the elaborate composition required 37 distinct colors, each applied through separate printing steps. The motif inspired the brand’s first silk dress in 1969 and has been reimagined by Gucci’s different creative directors over the years.
A Gucci Flora bag.
Following the Tolda di Nave, Accornero introduced the Marina Chain motif, in the mid-1970s, first in jewelry and accessories before expanding into scarves and ready-to-wear. The motif was reimagined in 2023 for the house’s new jewelry line by creative director Sabato De Sarno.
Accornero’s animalia print bowed in 1969 with vivid depictions of wildlife, including lions, birds and butterflies on ties, scarves and ready-to-wear garments through the 1970s and 1990s.
Gucci’s silk scarf with Viaggio [travel] print from the late 1950s.
The GG Monogram was introduced in 1969, evolving from Gucci’s earlier Diamante pattern. Featuring interlocking Gs in a diamond layout, it first appeared on luggage before gracing scarves, ties, and ready-to-wear collections.
Equestrian influences in the 1950s celebrated outdoor pursuits such as horse-riding, golf, and fishing, further enhanced by the introduction of two enduring symbols: the Gucci Web, inspired by saddle girth stripes, and the Horsebit motif. The Horsebit, featuring a distinctive double ring and bar, debuted in the 1950s as a nod to equestrian sports and has become a hallmark of the house.
The Artists
For the current celebration, Gucci tasked nine artists — Robert Barry, Everett Glenn, Sara Leghissa, Currynew, Jonny Niesche, Gio Pastori, Walter Petrone, Yu Cai and Inji Seo — to reinterpret five recurring scarf themes for the “90 x 90” project, which is a reference to the measurements of the classic silk twill scarf (90cm x 90cm).
The themes are: Flora, fauna, nautical, equestrian, and GG Monogram.
Inji Seo’s scarf for Gucci’s “90×90” project.
“I want my work to be out in public where people can experience it. Which is why I said yes to these scarves,” said American artist Robert Barry, widely regarded as one of the pioneers and most representative figures of the conceptual art movement. His work is held in major institutions such as MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Centre Pompidou.
“I’ve always enjoyed the idea of wearable art,” said American multidisciplinary artist Everett Glenn whose work blends comics, painting, and performance to craft deeply personal narratives.
Shanghai-based illustrator, graphic designer, and advertising professional Currynew merges pop culture, music, and video games with introspective imagination on his art and said that “designing for silk scarves challenged me to think about fluidity, layering, and how the artwork transforms in use.” He previously worked with the brand on the Gucci Cosmos exhibit in Shanghai.
Currynew’s scarf for Gucci’s “90×90” project.
“I believe there is something extremely fascinating in the shapes of plants, in the colours and patterns of animal fur, in the movements of these creatures—all details that give my eyes a sense of beauty,” said Italian illustrator, animator, and graphic novelist Walter Petrone, known artistically as Wallie.
Italy-based Chinese illustrator and animator Yu Cai, who is active in the NFT space bridging traditional artistry with modern mediums, sees “silk scarves as a unique and exciting ‘canvas’ for creativity. Unlike traditional art forms, silk allows for a dynamic intersection between art and fashion.”
The Book
Complementing these initiatives is the launch of “Gucci: The Art of Silk,” a volume curated in collaboration with Assouline. This is the first book of its kind to explore the history and artistry behind Gucci foulards, offering an in-depth look at their cultural significance, craftsmanship, and evolution over the decades.
It is curated by Jo-Ann Furniss and features contributions from authors including Jennifer Sliwka and Christopher Wallace.
The book is presented in a silk-printed slipcase with a foil-stamped logo. The hardcover book spans 300 pages and the cover features Gucci’s Flora motif.
The volume will be distributed through Gucci.com, the Assouline website, Assouline bookstores, and select Gucci stores worldwide.
“Gucci: The Art of Silk,” a new Gucci coffee table book published by Assouline.
Courtesy of Gucci
