Exactly Why is Gucci Poised for a Rebound? Industry Minds Are Wondering
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Gucci Is Bleeding to Death & Sabato de Sarno Is Not the Doctor She Needed
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Gucci Is Bleeding to Death & Sabato de Sarno Is Not the Doctor She Needed
Gucci creative director Sabato de Sarno is leaving Gucci after two years. Gucci’s Feb. 25 runway show will be designed by its design studio, the brand said Thursday, Feb.6.
Gucci’s Problems Are Bigger than de Sarno’s Tepid Designs
AOC does not believe that Gucci’s revenue plunge of 26% in the third quarter of 2024, a scary reflection of the brand’s current status, was solely the result of de Sarno’s tepid approach to design.
We note that his ‘marching orders’ came from Kering head and Gucci’s billionaire owner François-Henri Pinault.
You cannot cut the heart out of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci success and expect those same customers to now buy a quiet Gucci, with marketing campaigns that prompted AOC to write that the models look like they’re making a case for lobotomies for women.
Read MoreGucci Spring 2025 Campaign with Yara Shahidi and George MacKay by Xavier Dolan
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Gucci Spring 2025 Campaign with Yara Shahidi and George MacKay by Xavier Dolan
The campaign pairs actors Yara Shahidi and George MacKay exploring the new collection as a tender ode to humanity. The video and images by Canadian filmmaker and actor Xavier Dolan [IG], capture the filtered light of possibility that greets a new day, or the preciousness of afternoon sun settling almost mystically over a room.
In its place is a slow-living interlude of reflections between two people emerges, humans so connected that words are not required. And if we are alone in the moment, we realize that we are not . . . alone. There is energy all around us, our plants are flowering and we can curl up on the daybed or sofa to drift in this moment of lightness.
Read MoreGucci Gift 2024 Campaign Chapter 2: To the Mountains with Kendall Jenner and Jannick Sinner
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AOC loves the Gucci Gift 2024 Campaign Chapter 2: To the Mountains, November 2024 release.
The campaign taps Gucci Global Brand Ambassador pro tennis athlete Jannick Sinner and Gucci ambassador Kendall Jenner, along with models Addison Soens, Devyn Garcia, Kirsty Hume, Nile Winchester and Violet Hume.
In addition to Creative Director Sabato De Sarno, we have styling by Francesca Burns, Marcell Rev on art photography procurement, Riccardo Zanola as Artistic Director and rising-fast, one-to-watch photographer Anthony Seklaoui [IG] behind the lens.
Read MoreGucci's Fall 2024 Campaign Prompts AOC's Research Into Lobotomies for Women
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AOC has searched for days to find something positive about Gucci’s Fall 2024 Campaign [IG] with models Alaato Jazyper, Jiahui Zhang and Loli Bahia. Riccardo Zanola acts as artistic director in images styled by Alasdair McKimm and lensed by David Sims [IG]. / Hair by Duffy; makeup by Lucia Pieroni
Gucci Creative Director Sabato De Sarno sits atop this campaign, as he methodically and slowly ponders his way out of the red-ink mess that is today’s Gucci brand.
Global luxury brands Gucci and Burberry are vying for first place in this sea of red ink. Gucci — with its strong, leather-goods business — should not be in the same car-wreck pileup that includes Burberry, who does not have iconic handbags.
Not only has the Fall 2024 Campaign prompted AOC to investigate the history of brain lobotomies as a medical treatment for women disproportionally. Anne’s very high-grade, brain wiring just recalled the extreme degree of misogyny in the Italian Futurist movement, launched in 1909 by the Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. Read our insights on this subject.
When professionals cut open a luxury brand patient with a big heart and leave it bleeding profusely on the operating table for nearly two years, death is a real possibility.
Read MorePierpaolo Piccioli's Humanist-Focus Chapter Ends at Maison Valentino
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Responding to a request for comment from WWD, Valentino confirmed on March 22, 2024 the departure of Pierpaolo Piccioli as creative director of Maison Valentino.
Kering’s Role is Unclear in the Mayhoola Decision
We don’t know what the role of Gucci-parent Kering has in this decision. Kering acquired 30% of Valentino in July, 2023, with an option to purchase the whole of Valentino's share capital no later than 2028.
Luxury Stocks Are Holding Steady with Kering Plunge of $6.8 Billion
As fashion’s titanic luxury brands ship rocks in a week that witnessed Kering stock lose $6.8 billion of value on Wednesday, following news of a 20% revenue decrease at Gucci, Kering is the hardest hit.
LVMH is holding steady and positive, along with other key brands like Brunello Cuccinelli and Ralph Lauren.
AOC believes that very different luxury brand marketing positions at these more ‘humanist-centered luxury brands’, coupled with deep bench strength in executive talent at LVMH — but also individual luxury brands like Cucinelli and Lauren — are positioning them to weather storms in the luxury sector.
Read MoreJodie-Turner-Smith in Gucci Ancora Spring 2024 Collection in The Sunday Times Style
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British actor and Gucci ambassador Jodie Turner-Smith drops her megawatt personality and positivity into The Sunday Times Style [IG] February 25, 2024. Daniel Gaines styles the actor in a range of Gucci Ancora leg-baring outfits from Sabato de Sarno’s first collection, lensed by Eric Johnson [IG]./ Hair by Ursula Stephens; makeup by Raisa Flowers
Scarlett Russell conducts the interview.
The High Value Gucci Connection
Turner-Smith has a very close relationship with Gucci since 2019, explaining that “the brand has always been my vibe.”
“I have such a deep and profound love and respect for them that they took a chance on a young actress who didn’t have anything behind her. A fashion deal, a fragrance deal — that is an incredible amount of support for someone in the business and for a black woman.
Read MoreGucci Resort 2024 Campaign Essentials Lensed by Davit Giorgadze
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Gucci releases images for its Gucci Resort 2024 campaign, styled by Luca Galasso. Models include Abas Abdirazaq, Ellis Ahn, Nyakong Chan, Rayssa Mediros and Seunghoo Kim posing in Gucci essentials.
Photographer Davit Giorgadze [IG] is behind the lens with creative direction by Cedric Murac./ Hair by Claire Grech; makeup by Lucy Bridge
Read MoreSabato De Sarno’s Gucci Ancora Campaign Lensed by David Sims
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Gucci Ancora is creative director Sabato De Sarno’s ad campaign for his debut Gucci collection. The director’s choice of the word Ancora is an Italian terms that translates “again” in English.
Gucci Ancora is creative director Sabato De Sarno’s ad campaign for his debut Gucci collection. The director’s choice of the word Ancora is an Italian terms that translates “again” in English.
Read MoreLila Moss in 'My Roman Empire' Gucci Story by Theo Liu for British Vogue February 2024
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Model Lila Moss is styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson in a Gucci advertorial ‘My Roman Empire’. Photographer Theo Liu [IG] is behind the lens for British Vogue February 2024.
WSJ reflected on Gucci and the brand’s new CEO Jean-Francois Palus, writing that Palus “embodies the severity of the changes: A Frenchman at the head of a company that is as Italian as Chianti, he isn’t yet fluent in the native language, nor does he have a creative background.”
Palus began his career as an auditor and financial adviser with Arthur Andersen. He then ran the books for the timber division of the conglomerate that would go on to become Kering.
Read MoreBillie Eilish for Horsebit 1955 Demetra Bag in Tyrell Hampton Campaign November 2023
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Billie Eilish is back at Gucci and let’s applaud that move. Without question Billie is a bridge between the respective visions of the two creative directors — Alessandro Michele and now Sabato De Sarno.
For Gucci, Billie Eilish has teamed up on a greenish version of their iconic Horsebit 1955 bag. The new version is crafted from Demetra, a 75% plant-based, animal-free material that has been produced in Italy since 2021.
Gucci launched sneakers made of Demetra two years ago. The bags also use recycled ECONYL nylon made from regenerated ghost nets, carpets, and pre-consumer waste. Prada and Burberry were leaders in the development of ECONYL with products coming to market in 2019. Demetra is tanned in accordance with Gucci’s century-old standard practices.
Read MoreKendall Jenner and Bad Bunny Suprise in Fun Fall 2023 Campaign for Gucci Valigeria Luggage
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Supermodel Kendall Jenner and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known professionally as Bad Bunny “unofficially” made their relationship official in a new ad campaign for Gucci Valigeria luggage.
Read MoreDaria Werbowy Plunges Into Gucci's Marina Chain Campaign Lensed by David Sims
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Canadian-Ukrainian fashion model goddess Daria Werbowy has been sorely missed since she left fashion modeling in 2016.
Daria is set to return to fashion world — on her terms and ONLY on her terms. Phoebe Philo’s eponymous new label, due to launch in September but not with a runway show, delivers a long-anticipated re-pairing of artist and muse.
Apparently, Daria Werbowy is also part of the Gucci relaunch. In these new images, the model and muse is seen in the chunky gold Gucci Marina Chain jewelry, magnifying an archival motif inspired by the maritime world.
It’s expected that Daria Werbowy will be the face of a larger fashion campaign, beyond this jewelry release photographed in Los Angeles at Chateau Marmont by David Sims [IG], with styling by Alastair McKimm.
Anne of Carversville doesn’t have current Daria Werbowy archives, but we’re spending a lot of time reassembling her best work in our very successful project of refreshing archives pre-2020. Note that these redone archives aren’t in chronological order.
Read MoreAs Gucci Pursues An 'Exclusive Elevated Path', Anne Says 'Watch for Landmines'
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In-transition luxury house Gucci presents its Fall Winter 2023 campaign featuring Vittoria Ceretti, Aboubakar Konte and Brando Erba, lensed by photographer David Sims [IG].
Alastair McKimm styles the cast with hair by Paul Hanlon and makeup by Thomas De Kluyver. “Brakhage” by Stereolab is the music in the campaign video.
I noted a few months ago that we didn’t even post the new Gucci Valigeria campaign video, thinking it was just a stop along the way of Gucci’s reinvention. But that mistake was AOC’s.
The video is exactly in sync with the Fall 2023 campaign.
Many luxury brands — Louis Vuitton immediately comes to mind, but also Dior — are redefining luxury in more humanist terms. This branding does not prevent exclusive salons for best customers. But our common humanity — or ubuntu — is part of the luxury brand story.
Look at the new RIMOWA campaign, as a good example.
Read MoreGucci 'An Ode to Love' Campaign with Wen Qi and Daniel Zhou Shot by Leslie Zhang
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There’s an A-team on this new summer 2023 campaign including art directors Kevin Tekinel and Charles Levai, director Tin Seoi and photographer Leslie Zhang [IG], whose photography we love. Taiwanese actor Wen Qi and Chinese singer Daniel Zhou star are the lovebirds.
AOC disagrees with more than one fashion writer who has seen this new Gucci ‘An Ode to Love’ campaign and responded with words of praise that storytelling is back at Gucci. Whew!
This new campaign is pure and innocent — which is not how Alessandro Michele served it up. He took you into the setting to experience the imagery yourself, not as an observer.
In my case, he sometimes admonished me [metaphorically], because I wasn’t in the mood to be part of the joke. Yet I chuckled when he grabbed me by the arm, saying “Would you take a damn break, Anne, and let your imagination run wild. Come and play with us.”
Read MoreGUCCI Summer Stories 2023 Collection by Harley Weir Is an Accessories Feast
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Italian luxury brand Gucci artfully makes another transition statement under new creative director Sabato De Sarno. Yes, we see the changes, but it’s an evolution that’s not trying to burn bridges built by Alessandro Michele.
Fashion photographer Harley Weir [IG] captures models Adarsh Jaikarran, Aivita Mūze, Indira Scott, Kevon Adonis Gyamfi, Pierce Abernathy and Sora Choi styled by Mel Ottenberg. Art direction comes from Charles Levai and Kevin Tekinel. / Hair by Mustafa Yanaz; makeup by Diane Kendal
Read MoreGucci Fine Jewelry 'Link to Love' 2023 Androgynous Stackable Collection
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Italian luxury brand Gucci unveils its latest fine jewelry 'Link to Love' campaign with a focus on self-expression and individualism but through connection.
The ‘Link to Love’ collection’s signature octagonal shape channels religious symbolism worldwide. Octagrams formed from overlapping squares often emphasize duality: yin and yang, male and female, spiritual and material, while having a major place in global religions from Christianity to Hindualism, including also a significant place in Jewish mysticism.
This symbolism seems particularly relevent to Gucci’s embrace of a modern, androgynous, sleek design in the ‘Link to Love’ campaign. AOC just discovered major ties to the earliest deities — a transition period between goddesses were worshipped exclusively and patriarchy where God is male and women got the boot.
For example, Old Kingdom Egyptians recognized a group of eight deities, four male and four female, with the female bearing feminine forms of the male names: Nu, Nanet, Amun, Amunet, Kuk, Kauket, Huh, and Hauhet.
Read MoreLiu Wen Fronts New Gucci Bamboo 1947 Handbag, Lensed by David Sims
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In a new Spring 2023 campaign, Gucci celebrates the enduring style of its iconic Bamboo 1947 handbag. Supermodel Liu Wen is centerstage in images and video lensed by David Sims, with creative direction from Ezra Petronio & Lana Petrusevych./ Hair by Paul Hanlon; makeup by Thomas De Kluyver
The Gucci Bamboo 1947 handbag, originally known by its product number 0633, has a rich history that dates back to post-war Italy. In 1947, Europe was still recovering from the aftermath of World War II, and resources were scarce. Leather, a primary material used in fashion at the time, was in short supply, forcing designers to find alternative materials for their creations.
Read MoreEsther Heesch in Gucci Cruise 2023 by George Katsanakis for Harper's Bazaar Greece
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German model Esther Heesch greets 2023 in a Gucci fashion story covering the January issue of Harper’s Bazaar Greece. The ‘Gucci Cosmogonie’ Cruise 2023 Collection took a turn in the direction of sophisticated elegance with a strong hit of verve.
Simultaneously, Gucci has opened its first Valigeria Luggage store in Paris to advance its footprint in the luxury travel sector.
Harper’s Greece calls the expansion of the ‘Gucci Valigeria’ DNA is the pursuit for an “endless journey based on knowledge, experience, freedom and style”. AOC says that the ‘endless journey’ referenced by Harper’s Greece must include having an inquiring mind.
Being truly inquisitive about the heritage and true stories of other cultures is mandatory for luxury houses pursuing this business path. Our own knowledge as western liberals is deeply flawed and filled — not only with prejudice — but also ignorance about other great, ancient cultures.
Read MoreRabbits Are Rising for Mushroom Lovers
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