Gucci has opened a museum, restaurant and shop in Florence called Gucci Garden.
The brand opened a museum in the city in 2011, but the concept has now been reimagined as a "collaborative and creative space", filled with references to plants, animals and nature (thus the name). The museum will feature Gucci designs from the brand's archives dating back to 1921 to the present day. This will be no conventional showcase, rather the label has placed emphasis it being immersive - video installations, films, artworks, documents and artefacts are displayed over the two floors of the Gucci Garden Galleria, organised by themes.
The first floor will host an Italian restaurant helmed by chef Massimo Botura, who is known for his three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana in Tuscany. The menu will focus on famed Italian dishes, as well as offering twists on its classics, from tortellini in parmesan sauce to taka buns filled with pork belly.
A shop will also sit on the ground floor, selling ready-to-wear, accessories and gifts such as stationary, postcards, canvas bags, plates, maps of Florence, cushions and decorative, printed boxes. This could be the most budget-friendly piece of Gucci you ever own.
Gucci is not the only luxury brand to add a lifestyle element to its offering. Burberry's pop-up show space, entitled Maker's House, drew 20,000 visitors when it opened last February, showcasing the skills of British craftspeople, from sculptors to artists, through live installations and workshops. Its success prompted a follow-up pop-up last September.The brand also opened its restaurant, Thomas', in 2016, a spot often pictured on stylish Instagram feeds.
Ralph Lauren launched its own coffee shop and bar in January 2017, situated within its Polo Ralph Lauren flagship store on Regent Street.
