Gucci Takes Over a Surry Hills Cinema for Demna’s Debut
The return of glamour
By Ged Richards | 9th March 2026“I disembark from my Uber into the mugginess of Sydney in March, greeted by a sea of people drowning in Gucci. I suspect I may be in the right place.” writes Ged Richards.
As we go down the stairs of a beautiful Art Deco cinema in Surry Hills and into the relief of the air conditioning, I am immediately greeted by Champagne, a photographer and a group of fashion friends. If this is how Gucci does cinema, then consider me hooked!
It’s not lost on me how the proliferation of fashion week watch parties, inspired by French fashion influencer Lyas, has now been absorbed into the playbook of the mega brands themselves, serving both as a mechanism for building hype around their shows with VICs (Very Important Clients) and allowing clients to feel closer to the heart of the action, even from the other side of the world.
It feels like yet another indication of how much the fashion industry has contaminated culture in recent years, and I’m 100% here for it.
Demna’s Gucci Debut
The show itself is a blend of magnificently embellished gowns, delicious textures and bold ’90s silhouettes.
The Tom Ford influence on Demna’s premiere show is inherent, the desirability palpable. As the models on the runway strut away to the punchy soundtrack, I can hear clients shooting off wish lists from all angles.
This instant feedback loop provides invaluable insight for brands into what actually connects with their clients in real time, and before production even begins. Another reason why brand-run screening parties are popping up everywhere from Paris to Tokyo.
We spill back out into the night. It’s cooler now. Armed with the knowledge of what Demna’s Gucci is, I feel a mix of nostalgia and excitement. It’s 2026: Kate Moss is back to wearing Gucci G-strings for the world to see, glamour has returned to the runway, analogue cigarettes are back in, nature is healing.
