Gucci tree in Milan: controversy over the pyramid of gift boxes

A pyramid of white and silver containers lit up yesterday afternoon under the sparkling dome of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, leaving Milanese awestruck. The Christmas tree in the octagon of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was inaugurated by Mayor Beppe Sala, according to tradition, and is one of the most long-awaited and photographed by tourists who choose Milan for their Christmas holidays. After years of patronage by Swarovski, which brought the traditional crystal-lit fir tree to the living room in Milan, this year the installation was entrusted to Gucci, The fashion house of the French group Kering, which opted for a more modern composition.

“The Gift of Love”, that is the name of the innovative tree, is an 8.52 meter long installation consisting of 78 gift boxes one on top of the other to form a pyramid of circular-shaped packages, the same shape that the house chose for the Christmas windows in its stores. A streamlined box with a mirror box on top is placed as an edge, while mirror and two-tone finishes create a reflective effect, highlighting the vault. The latter is illuminated by 780 strings of white LEDs with the Milan Municipality logo in the middle. Actresses Margherita Bay, Anna Dello Russo and Gucci President Jean-François Palos also participated in the lighting ceremony. Attendees immortalized the moment with photos and videos, but then reactions began on social media.

Below the clip posted by the City of Milan on Instagram, you can read the comments of those who did not appreciate this choice: “It looks like a luggage hold in Linate,” some say. “Congratulations, Really Awful”, “In the Top 3 of Worst Releases Ever” and again “Give Us Back the Traditional Christmas”. One jokes to ease the drama: “Linate luggage storage right in the tunnel is great.” The sentiment that can be perceived from the comments under posts on social media is a controversial one, but there is also someone who appreciates choice, as can be read in the comment posted on Milano Segretta’s Facebook profile: “Maybe I’m out of the mainstream, but I think… “That Gucci tree is gorgeous. Swarovski was tired. Gucci has created a contemporary work of art that, like all contemporary works, may not be loved and spark debate.” But the luxury brand did not limit itself to placing the tree in the exhibition and decorating the basement of the Octagon, but it was illuminated kilometers of the streets of Corveto and took care of the decorations at the entrances of three schools in the neighborhood: IC Marcello Candia, IC Fabio Filzi and the nursery school in Via Oglio, with a total investment of 1,085,946.40 euros.