Gucci’s New Art Book Documents London’s Cultural Melting Pot
LONDON — Sabato De Sarno’s love affair with London continues in Gucci’s fourth volume of “Gucci Prospettive,” a series of art books that convey the creative director’s artistic vision.
Across 131 pages, “Gucci Prospettive: Ancora Londra” documents the city’s landmarks from the River Thames to the National Theatre on Southbank, as well as locations that have a strong resonance to Gucci such as The Savoy, where house founder Guccio Gucci worked as a luggage porter in the early 20th century, or the Tate Modern, where De Sarno staged his cruise 2025 show.
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“When it came the time to select the destination for my first cruise collection, London was the natural choice. This city has had a great impact on myself, welcoming me and listening to me in a moment of my life when feeling included [understood] could make a difference in my path. Same goes for Guccio Gucci, whose story intertwines with The Savoy’s in an almost magical way, becoming the stuff of legend,” the designer said.
The book was published by Contrasto and will be stocked at Gucci’s New Bond Street store; Reference Point; Shreeji Newsagents, and the Tate Modern.
“Gucci Prospettive: Ancora Londra” features artwork and photography from Britain’s leading artists: Tracey Emin, Martin Parr and Francis Bacon. There are also works from those who have been inspired by the city such as Wolfang Tilmans or Tina Barney.
The images examine London’s cultural melting pot. On one page there’s an image of a young girl from the Ebony Horse Club, a Brixton-based youth club that encourages young people to get involved in equestrian opposite an image of Queen Elizabeth II on a horse wearing a Gucci scarf.
Other images include Diana, Princess of Wales holding a Gucci bamboo bag at the Chelsea Harbour Club; a snapshot of rapper Skepta in his music video for “Shutdown,” and Charlotte Rampling on the set of the film “I, Anna.”
In the book De Sarno describes the tome as a “story of joy of life, of passion, of humanity, of people, of real life, of irreverent glamour, of provocation, of confidence, of simplicity, of immediate feelings and emotions.”
Charlene Prempeh and Lewis Dalton Gilbert, the co-curators of the book and founders of the creative studio and art consultancy A Vibe Called Tech, divided the book into four chapters: “Dream Buildings,” “People Watching,” “Watching People” and “Building Dreams.”
“London is a city of dreamers. Inspiration springs from unexpected corners, and ideas whirl, coming to life in ways that can feel both accidental and startling,” they said in their joint editor’s letter. “London is a city of dreamers. Inspiration springs from unexpected corners, and ideas whirl, coming to life in ways that can feel both accidental and startling. You can try to define London by its geography — East vs. West, South vs. North London — but it’s an exercise that will leave you holding a handful of archetypes and clichés.”
On Thursday morning, the pair hosted an intimate talk based on the book at Gucci’s New Bond Street store, where artwork from the artists in the book such as Rachel Whiteread, Cerith Wyn Evans, Sonia Boyce, Remi Ajani and Sunil Gupta are on display.
In the last 12 months, Gucci has had a fruitful relationship with Britain.
The brand partnered with London College of Fashion on an academic scholarship as part of its Gucci Changemakers London program; opened a store in Edinburgh, the brand’s first full-price freestanding space outside London; took over the digital advertising screens in Piccadilly Circus for tennis player and brand ambassador Jannik Sinner, and Debbie Harry starred in Gucci’s “We Will Always Have London” shot in the city.
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