Polyphonia were invited to compose music for Gucci Cosmos; the iconic fashion house’s archival exhibition in London 2023 at 180 The Strand.

Music inspired by Sabato De Sarno’s memories and manifesto and the story of Guccio Gucci.

‘In 1899 the opera loving theatre impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte installed the first electric lift in London at the Savoy Hotel. He’d built the hotel adjoining the Savoy Theatre to accommodate the audience of the Gilbert and Sullivan light opera company which he’d established in order to bring his love of opera to a London audience.
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The lift took 7 minutes to reach the top floor: some people found the experience terrifying and claustrophobic. So D’Oyly Carte painted it bright red and called it ‘The Ascending Room’ . Guests were given smelling salts and brandy by a young Italian intern. Sometimes he chatted to them to distract them: about horses, cars, British country pursuits. Sometimes he knew to avert his gaze, and focused on the details of their luggage: the stitching, pockets and details of the world’s luggage cycled up and down the storeys with him all day.
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By the time the young Italian returned to London he knew all he needed to know about human life and its luggage and set to work expanding his family saddle-making business. His name was Guccio Gucci.’’