Last week Gucci unveiled Circolo their first temporary space located in Shoreditch which will serve a host of functions until it closes at the end of the year.

The East London store opening comes hot on the heels of the launch of Circolo in Milan and Berlin, all of which are designed to reflect the culture of their locations. In Berlin, the cafe is located in Berlin-Kreuzberg, focusing on the maison’s ties to music, whilst in Milan Circolo takes residence at 18th-century palace Palazzo Gallarati Scotti.

London’s Circolo is located on Whitby Street in a building designed by Sir David Adjaye who currently is part of a group show at the Gagosian as part of Antwaun Sargent’s social works II. Inside the two floor space is a bookstore by publisher IDEA featuring a curated selection of titles including Gucci books. Ready to wear collection Aria, which marks Gucci’s centennial year, will be available to view and purchase including footwear and accessories. Upstairs you can discover music from Billie Eilish, Arlo Parks, Elton John and more in a changing room that doubles as a listening lounge. During the week, the café will be open to work and socialise with other creatives.

Circolo quite literally means circle, signifying Gucci’s endeavour to establish a connection between brand and consumer in unique ways.

In a statement Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele said ‘For me, shopping isn’t simply about buying things. It is about establishing a connection with them, entering into a relationship. It is precisely this bond that has grown today. In my mind, I always had the idea to create a place in constant evolution where ‘impossible’ conversations between objects from different origins, creators, and eras could take place: central figures in a dialogue between past and present, able to spark future inspiration. I said to myself: ‘Why can’t a fashion house with a creative director also have a space for expressive, aesthetic, and social contaminations?’.

As such Circolo is the physical iteration of Gucci’s online concept store Vault.

Over time Circolo will evolve to serve different functions. On November 15th you can look forward to the launch of the Hacker Project collection where you can dive into Gucci and Balenciaga’s contamination.

Circolo is open now, no appointment necessary.

Discover more from GUAP’s Fashion section here