Jan 15, 20182 min read

City Girl meets Massimo Bottura at the Gucci Garden in Florence during Pitti Uomo 2018.

Massimo Bottura just opened Gucci Osteria in the Gucci Garden.

Now open to the public, Gucci Garden is hosted in an ancient palace, the Palazzo della Mercanzia that dates back to 1337 and has been lit up with a fairytale exhibition curated by Maria Luisa Frisa.

Saturated greens, yellows and blues are softened in velvet and painted wood, evoking a modern Florentine style, now crowned with a charming osteria where the world's top chef, Massimo Bottura, and long-time friend of Gucci CEO Massimo Bizzarri, has set up his next conquest. A natural collaboration, given the history between the two, chef Bottura seemed at ease expediting dishes while completed outfitted in Gucci, thanks to his personal stylist, Luigi Martino who was on-hand to observe the entire opera d'arte.

Bursts of color and patterns are flushed with alchemical symbolism and capricious style throughout a multi-level, full sensory experience.

However you desire to add Gucci to your life, the garden can provide. Accessories, tableware, candles, and even furniture complete the brands ferocious steps into home decor and entertaining. Not a stitch is missed in the coherency of the design, despite the incredible range of style and bold imagery.

When Gucci decided to turn the centuries-old Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence into the Gucci Museum in 2011, no one but Creative Director, Alessandro Michele could have known that this garden would grow into the mystic space that it is now.

The osteria is an extension of the fantasy, a perfect place to grab a glass of prosecco and melt into the mood with the brands sartorial kitchen.

The menu was more eclectic than expected but really a smart mix of internationally recognized specialities with choices like pork buns or a savory farro soup, perhaps a subtle gesture to welcome #GucciGangs from around the world.