Gucci’s bamboo exhibition arrives in Shanghai
Gucci is unveiling a landmark cultural and artistic endeavor in China with its exhibition, Gucci Bamboo: Decoding an Icon, set to open on April 1 at Shanghai’s historic Sunke Villa. The immersive showcase, curated by Milan-based multidisciplinary studio 2050+, traces the 78-year legacy of the iconic Bamboo 1947 handbag while bridging Italian craftsmanship with Chinese cultural symbolism.
The exhibition delves into the origins of the Bamboo bag, born in 1947 amid post-war material scarcity in Italy. Guccio Gucci’s innovative use of bamboo—a lightweight, resilient alternative to traditional materials—revolutionized luxury design. Visitors will witness the bag’s evolution through archival pieces, craftsmanship demonstrations, and installations highlighting the 428 meticulous steps required to create each bamboo handle, still hand-carved over open flames by Florentine artisans today.
Gucci’s choice of Sunke Villa—a Spanish-style mansion infused with Jiangnan garden aesthetics—reflects the exhibition’s thematic duality: the bamboo’s symbolism of humility, resilience, and nobility in Chinese philosophy intertwines with Italian artisanal excellence. Collaborations with Chinese artists and craftsmen, including bamboo sculptor Hong Jianhua, Suzhou fan artist Sheng Chun, and lacquerware artisan Li Haisheng, further root the narrative in local culture. Their works, ranging from bamboo-carved lanterns to lacquerware, reinterpret traditional techniques through contemporary lenses.
The exhibition arrives as Gucci scales back its physical retail footprint in China, closing underperforming stores in Shanghai and lower-tier cities like Taiyuan and Shenyang. Instead, the brand is doubling down on cultural engagement to reconnect with China’s aspirational middle class and high-net-worth “connoisseurs”. With bamboo bags accounting for 18% of Gucci’s handbag revenue, this exhibition underscores efforts to solidify the product’s status as a timeless icon while tapping into China’s luxury revival.
