GUCCI Unveils Gucci Bamboo: Decoding an Icon

Curated by interdisciplinary studio 2050+, the exhibition opens in Shanghai at Sunke Villa, with public viewing from April 1 to April 6.

Since its debut in 1947, the Bamboo bag has remained a symbol of GUCCI’s timeless design ethos and artisanal excellence. Inspired by equestrian craftsmanship, its distinctive curved bamboo handle – painstakingly shaped by hand in Florence – continues to bridge past and present. While its form has evolved under different creative visions, the handle endures as a sculptural signature of the House.

Set against the cultural resonance of bamboo – particularly in China, where it signifies humility, nobility, and resilience – the exhibition traces the bag’s evolution while exploring bamboo as a symbol of nature transformed by human ingenuity.

Across seven evocative rooms, visitors are invited into a multidimensional exploration of the bag’s design, history, and influence. 

Highlights include:

The Whispering Grove, a suspended bamboo installation paired with living plants and an AI-generated film by Christian Kondić;

Crafting a Legacy, an intimate view into GUCCI ArtLab’s ateliers through the lens of filmmaker Davide Rapp;

Metamorphosis, a generative video installation by artist Lorem, envisioning the bag’s future through fluid transformations.

And Anatomy of a Bag, a deconstructed look at the 13-hour, 428-step process behind the Bamboo 1947;

Additional rooms showcase archival designs, digital reinterpretations, and the Bamboo 1947’s broader influence on the House’s visual language.

More than a retrospective, Gucci Bamboo: Decoding an Icon is a meditation on legacy, innovation, and the poetic tension between nature and craft. In celebrating an object of enduring elegance, GUCCI reaffirms its position at the intersection of heritage and contemporary culture.

Founded in Florence in 1921, GUCCI remains one of the world’s most influential luxury houses, redefining fashion through creativity and craftsmanship.