.gucci has unveiled a 3,500-square foot-store in downtown Detroit, showcasing the men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, jewelry, watches and Gucci Decor collections.
“Over the past few years we’ve had the chance to connect much more deeply with the city and the people of Detroit, having visited there many times,” said Susan Chokachi, president and chief executive officer of Gucci Americas. She noted that in 2019, Gucci hosted its annual store directors’ meeting there.
In discussing what she projects will be bestsellers, Chokachi said, “I think we have a huge opportunity with menswear. It’s a sports town. It’s a natural for us to develop great relationships with the athletic community. Equally, it’s a creative community. Alessandro’s creativity resonates a lot in this market,” she said, referring toGucci’s creative director.
In 2019, Gucci held a day of programming at Cass Tech High School. “They’ve been really inspiring to us for what Gucci can mean to a community like Detroit when we get more involved there. Three of the Cass Tech students have been recipients of the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Fund, and have gone on to college,” she said. She and her colleagues have maintained relationships with the students. “It’s just a way to get to know the city on a much deeper level,” she said.
To honor Gucci’s new permanent home in the city, Gucci Changemakers commissioned critically acclaimed poet and native Detroiter Jessica Care Moore to write an original poem reflective of the brand’s mission within the city of Detroit. A stanza of the poem will be handpainted on the facade of the Siren Hotel for the community to enjoy: “The spirit of a fashion city is felt/As soon as she walks in./The spark lives inside the patterned faces/of her community.