The Gucci Horsebit Loafer. Even with just the name, an image comes to mind—the iconic loafer embellished with a miniature of the metal clamp of a horse’s bridle. The Horsebit, one of the most well-known motifs of Gucci, is celebrating 70 years since the creation of the emblematic loafer through installations featuring ten international artists, designers, and creatives.

Forget everything you thought you knew about the motif, the exhibit transforms and redefines the iconic Gucci emblem. Fused with Gucci’s history of country club tradition and transformed with the spirit of artistic counterculture, the concept, titled Gucci Horsebeat Society, materializes in a multi-dimensional ‘house’; the exhibit features different rooms exploring the Horsebit Loafer’s legacy and future. 

The exhibit envelops your senses, but the true showstopper is the leg table. In the main gallery space, visitors enter the ‘dining room’ featuring a surrealist table, designed by the American sculptor Pitterpatter. Cleverly reimagining the concept of ‘legs’, Pitterpatter replaced the traditional table legs with human legs donning Horsebit Loafers.

Traveling through the futuristic patio by Harry Nuriev, visitors are transported to the Italian visual artist Anna Franceschini’s  ‘cabinet of curiosities’ full of artifacts from the Gucci archives. 

Continuing their journey, they reach the bedroom space, which is towered by a striking image captured by the renowned American photographer Charlie Engman, complemented by the only historical artwork in the exhibition: the 1998 installation Bedroom Ensemble II by Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury.

Through the house tour, a cascade of overwhelming sensations washes over visitors, leaving an indelible impression. Curated by Alessio Ascari, the Milan-based creative director and curator of Spazio Maiocchi, the exhibition explores the iconography of the Horsebit Loafer through transformative reinterpretations combining fashion, art, and audio-visual elements. The event includes a durational performance by, the Spanish artist and choreographer, Candela Capitán, and a program of DJ sets by the legendary Parisian electronic music label, Ed Banger.

The exhibit finishes with, of course, the ‘closet’—a space covered floor-to-ceiling in a collage wallpaper created by Australian image-maker Ed Davis. 

From disco ball suits to vintage-esc denim outfits, the Gucci Spring/Summer 2024  collection showcases an array of diverse elements, a balancing act between the past and future of the House’s fashion. 

Meticulously tailored suits embody the essence of classic sartorialism, while nods to the ’70s era can be seen in bootcut trousers and elevated workwear. 

Gucci’s beloved equestrian aesthetic also finds its place within the collection.

Innovative experimentation is evident in pieces like the final look—a washed denim jacket tucked into wide-leg pants adorned with micro mirror tiles, creating the essence of a disco ball. 

However, the emblematic nature of Gucci transcends it all with a focus on the Horsebit emblem.