blogpost #3
The brand that I’ve chosen is Gucci, with Alessandro Michele. I was personally very impressed by the new Gucci’s aesthetic and multiculturalism. In the better lives units, under ‘Cultural Representation’, I’ve learned that Gucci was accused of creating offensive items towards the black community with its Black Balaclava sweater. It has drawn my attention towards the issue and found out that it is very easy for a brand to kill their own public image even though they did not intend to be offensive in the very first place. I’ve also learned that it is always essential to carry out deeper research towards one culture from the group’s own perspective before applying the elements onto the collections/campaigns. And I had come across on how Gucci had made up with the whole crisis – they deeply apologized for their mistakes, withdrawn the sweaters. After that, they’ve set up a culture awareness learning program for their employees, and also hired a chief officer for the inclusivity department. As fashion is still a growing market, I felt like this is the right way to deal with a PR crisis and improved. Gucci now aimed to ‘put culture – self-expression, and inclusivity at the center of what they do’.
My first illustration:
On the right side of the image is a model wearing Gucci 2016 Spring Summer Collection, which I personally felt that this outfit had represented the multiculturalism in Alessandro Michele’s design concept. In this Illustration, It represents Gucci’s Diversity while including different design elements from different cultures. The one fake eye that was grown on the model’s forehead, and the dragon standing on the model’s shoulder represents the minority group of people for being different from the others and how strange they could’ve felt being treated as ‘freaks’ in their daily life. The model on the right is also genderless.
The skeleton represents that, even though we’re all so different on the outside, we’re all still human beings and it is right to treat everyone fairly no matter the cultural background or how we look. The olive branches the model was holding means peace, and anti-racism.
My 2nd Illustration:
A girl wearing Gucci’s signature runway collection was lying on the floor reading Gucci’s <CHIME ZINE 01>, a publication funded by Gucci aimed to promote gender equality and self-expression, raising awareness for female rights, which I see as evidence of Gucci was engage in being socially responsible. The Gucci candlelight represents hope in the scene.
My 3rd illustration:
During the researches, I found out that Gucci is the most environmentally friendly fashion corporation in the world for being entirely carbon neutral, with the support of the Kering Group. The illustration shows the model wearing Gucci pieces is holding a flag, facing her back to the audience. It represents that Gucci is one leading brand in the industry and they’re ready to go further.