Gucci Prospettive 4: Ancora Londra

After two books dedicated to Milan and another focused on Italy as a country and culture, Gucci is moving from the calm, turquoise waters of the Mediterranean to the grey, harsh waters of the Atlantic. In Gucci Prospettive 4: Ancora Londra, the fourth publication by the Italian House, the lens turns to one of the most fascinating, diverse, and contrasting cities in Europe: London. The city also has a long-standing relationship with Gucci, from the famed history with the Savoy Hotel and Guccio Gucci, to today’s Creative Director, Sabato De Sarno.

“When it came time to select the destination for my first Cruise collection, London was the natural choice,” says De Sarno. “This city has had a great impact on me, welcoming me at a time when feeling understood could make a difference in my path. The same goes for Guccio Gucci, whose story intertwines with the Savoy in an almost magical way, becoming the stuff of legend.”

This fourth book is published by Contrasto and curated by Charlene Prempeh and Lewis Dalton Gilbert, founders of the creative studio A Vibe Called Tech. “London is a city of dreamers. Inspiration springs from unexpected corners,” they reflect. “Ideas whirl, coming to life in ways that can feel both accidental and startling.” With this publication, they aim to exhibit the many different faces of a city that each person experiences differently, yet somehow creates a sense of community and belonging. Freedom is a running thread, something everyone feels when setting foot there.

Ancora Londra is divided into four thematic chapters: Dream Buildings, People Watching, Watching People, and Building Dreams, weaving a narrative that connects the city’s rich architecture with the people inhabiting it. It ranges from the brutalist geometry of the Barbican to the elegance of Mayfair, offering a glimpse into one of Europe’s most vibrant capitals. “The city, and the people we know who move within it, defy any real classification because the one thing both truly embody is the tension and beauty of opposition that we all hold within us,” conclude Prempeh and Gilbert.

The Barbican Estate - Designed by the firm of architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in the 1960s, Central London, 1971 - Photo Evening Standard / Hulton Archive via Getty Images