June 17, 2020 |
A little over three weeks ago, Alessandro Michele announced Gucci is slowing down and going seasonless. In a series of diary entries posted to Instagram, Michele wrote how fashion’s “reckless actions have burned the house we live in.” Since assuming the role as the brand’s creative director back at the start of 2015, Michele has made sustainability a priority for the house. The brand’s SS20 catwalk back in September was their first as a completely carbon neutral brand. Going forward “all remaining Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions annually from its own operations and the entire supply chain.” Gucci has created a ten-year sustainability strategy, working alongside four vital REDD+ projects that support forest conservation, where results are regularly posted through the Gucci Equilibrium platform.
To also support the brand’s vision for circular production throughout the company, Michele launched the Gucci Circular Lines initiative, which now has its very first collection. Gucci Off The Grid mainly consists of 100% regenerated nylon created from ECONYL® yarn, largely from pre- and post-consumer waste that includes everything from fishing nets to carpets. Alongside the nylon is a variety of recycled, organic, bio-based and sustainably sourced materials – including metal-free tanned leather and recycled polyester linings. Also in the mix is recycled gold, brass and palladium hardware coating. The collection itself is quintessentially Gucci, packed with gender-less accessories, footwear and sporty ready-to-wear separates. To make sure Gucci’s circular vision prevails, ECONYL® offcuts from the collection will be recovered and recycled in order to create new ECONYL® materials that can be used in future endeavours. A similar technique will be used for leather scraps which will also be upcycled as part of the Gucci-Up programme.
To mark the collection’s release, Michele called upon regular collaborator Harmony Korine to photograph a campaign starring a pretty stellar line-up. Cinema legend Jane Fonda can be seen alongside musicians Lil Nas X, King Princess and Miyavi, as well as British adventurer David de Rothschild. Soundtracked to J. Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’, the fab five can be seen constructing a tree house slap bang in the middle of the LA skyline. Through the Gucci app, users can build their own virtual city treehouse by successfully answering questions around Gucci’s circular production process. Seems like a pretty good way to spend a day in lockdown, if you ask us.
The Gucci Off The Grid collection is available to pre-order now.
Creative Director: Alessandro Michele
Art Director: Christopher Simmonds
Photographer/Director: Harmony Korine
Talents: Jane Fonda, Lil Nas X, King Princess, Miyavi, David de Rothschild
Make Up: Thomas de Kluyver
Hair Stylist: Alex Brownsell
Video Music
“I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW”
(J. Nash)
© 1972 Nashco Music Inc / Ashco Music Inc / CP Masters BV
Courtesy of Warner Chappell Music Italiana Srl
(P) 1972 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
Courtesy of Sony Music Italy S.p.A
