Gucci Taps Underground Rap for Milan Show
Gucci's latest Milan Fashion Week show under Demna leaned heavily into street and rap culture, featuring talents like Fakemink, Feng, and Rico Ace. The underground-themed presentation signals luxury fashion's ongoing embrace of streetwear and hip-hop aesthetics. This continues the trend of high fashion collaborating directly with emerging rap artists.
This was Demna's inaugural show as Creative Director for Gucci, following a celebrated and commercially successful decade-long tenure at Balenciaga where he was known for his subversive, streetwear-infused designs. His move to Gucci is seen by some as a "Hail Mary hire" to return the brand to the cultural conversation and boost its revenue, which saw a significant decrease in 2025. The show featured a mix of runway debuts and front-row appearances from a new wave of UK underground rappers. British rapper Fakemink not only walked the runway but created a moment by stopping to check his phone mid-walk. American rapper Nettspend also made his second-ever runway appearance, having previously walked for Miu Miu. The artists involved are deeply embedded in the internet's rap scene. Fakemink, born Vincenzo Camille, began making music at age 10 and released his debut album "London's Saviour" in 2023. Feng, from South London, is known for a sound that blends cloud rap with early 2010s indie pop aesthetics and released his debut album "Weekend Rockstar" just before the show. Rico Ace, another London-based artist, gained significant recognition in 2025 through viral collaborations with rapper EsDeeKid, including the tracks "Phantom" and "LV Sandals," which both surpassed 100 million streams. EsDeeKid himself was also present, performing at the official afterparty and bringing both Rico Ace and Fakemink on stage with him. Demna's approach at his former post at Balenciaga often involved incorporating mainstream or banal items into luxury contexts, like his infamous $2,000 "Ikea" bag and collaborations with Crocs. This strategy of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist and subverting expectations proved highly profitable, growing Balenciaga's revenue to an estimated $2 billion by 2022. This fusion of high fashion and hip-hop is part of a larger trend. While collaborations with major rap artists like Future for Lanvin or A$AP Rocky for Dior are now common, Demna's choice to feature lesser-known, internet-bred artists represents a deeper dive into authentic subculture. It mirrors a strategy he previously employed of using music and artists who inspired him to create playlists and limited-edition merchandise for Balenciaga.
