A flower meadow in a courtyard. It’s a simple idea, but Gucci’s Memoria installation — curated by its creative director, Demna — exulted in the uncanny combination of the ethereal and the urban, of the ephemeral and the timeless.

Milan is a city of hidden courtyards, and the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, whose origins date back to the 16th century, is but one of its many religious sanctuaries often closed off to the public. Its courtyard features a central fountain; around it, hedges box in 16 rectangular grassy gardens.

Gucci coloured in these borders with vibrant florals that seemed to eradicate them altogether, and filled the arcade walls with wry Renaissance-style tapestries depicting major moments in the fashion label’s history — like Madonna’s Tom Ford–designed silk shirt and velvet trousers for the 1995 MTV Awards, where she was heckled by Courtney Love. (It was the grunge-meets-pop fracas of the era.)

While many a Milan Design Week denizen bemoans the increasing presence of fashion brands at the furniture-first event, Gucci made them think twice — and marvel many times more. It was a welcome respite from a crazy, FOMO-propelled schedule.