GUCCI | THE TIGER | 2026
They Quit the Runway and Made a 33-Minute Movie Instead / GUCCI "THE TIGER"
For its new collection launch, Gucci skipped the runway entirely and made a 33-minute short film. And the director was Spike Jonze. Can you even do that? Apparently, yes.
The problem
This was the debut of "La Famiglia," the first collection from new creative director Demna. Normally a brand like this would stage a runway show in Milan, but Gucci let go of that whole format.
The insight
A fashion show gets consumed in a flash and then it's over. A film, on the other hand, keeps getting talked about. Gucci bet that letting people experience an entire world would stick in memory more than simply showing off a collection. It's also a move only a brand with deep ties to Hollywood could really pull off.
The idea
The story centers on a fictional head of the Gucci family, Barbara Gucci. On her birthday, she gathers her children and some special guests at the family mansion, and the new collection is woven into the scenes as they unfold. It was directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, shot by MJZ, with a cast that includes Demi Moore, Edward Norton, Ed Harris, Elliot Page, Keke Palmer, and Kendall Jenner.
What happened
The production budget is estimated to have been in the $10 million range. Screening events were also held in Milan and New York. At Cannes Lions 2026, it won Gold in the Entertainment Lions for Fiction Film category (for films over 30 minutes).
Afterthought
The decision itself, for a fashion brand to drop the "show" and choose a "film" instead, is already a creative act. The article mentioned that it was a bet on whether they could spark a cultural conversation, and that bet clearly paid off.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2026
