MILAN — At its transitional moment, Gucci is banking on familiar faces to represent the brand on a global scale.
A$AP Rocky, Julia Garner and Elliot Page are to front the advertising campaign for the Gucci Guilty fragrances, which is expected to be released on March 1.
Although details about the images are still under wraps, the talents were photographed by Glen Luchford to “personify an ode to self-acceptance, friendship and love in all its forms through a story of tenderness, imagination and curiosity,” teased the company in a statement.
If the Gucci ad campaign released last month that portrayed Dakota Johnson with various renditions of the brand’s Jackie 1961 bag is any indication, the images are likely to veer from the flamboyant aesthetic of Alessandro Michele’s tenure in favor of a more immediate and easier to read language. Still, the trio of ambassadors is set to keep the conversation with the brand’s wide and diverse demographic alive thanks to the talents’ artistic fields of reference, their international success and social influence. For example, on Instagram alone, they count more than 23 million followers combined.
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Plus, all three personalities already have a history with the brand, starting with A$AP Rocky. The Grammy Award-nominated musician fronted the brand’s men’s tailoring campaign in 2020 and featured in its accompanying groovy video alongside Iggy Pop and Tyler, the Creator. The rapper also made several appearances at Gucci shows in Milan, including the fall 2022 show last year, where he was joined in the front row by girlfriend Rihanna, now pregnant with their second child.
The rapper, along with Garner, is expected to attend the Gucci women’s fall 2023 runway show on Friday.
In 2017, A$AP Rocky was also involved in the creation of a Gucci show invitation, a 33-rpm vinyl record featuring on side A Florence Welch reading from “Songs of Innocence and Experience” by William Blake, and on side B him reading “A love letter from Frederick Wentworth to Anne Elliot” from “Persuasion” by Jane Austen.
Garner is not new to the brand, either, as she has appeared on the red carpet wearing Gucci looks multiple times. The fashion house seems to have a lucky charm effect on her, since last month Garner scooped the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as “Ruth Langmore” in the “Ozark” crime series. On that occasion, she wore a custom powder-pink Gucci gown with spiraling ruffles and crystal embroideries.
Last year she won her third Primetime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category for the same role, wearing another Gucci dress, this one featuring long sleeve, floral embellishments and a diamond-shaped cutout across the midsection.
An Oscar-nominated actor, director and producer, Page has received various accolades for his work, including critical acclaim for portraying the title role in Jason Reitman’s movie “Juno” in 2007. His later television credits include hosting the documentary series “Gaycation,” for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, and portraying “Viktor Hargreeves” in the Netflix series “The Umbrella Academy.”
Page wore Gucci attire during promotional appearances for the latter last year, including a burgundy suit for “The Daily Show” and a logoed pinstripe blazer jacket on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” In November, he sharply suited up in a Gucci black double-breasted tuxedo with wide lapels for the 2022 LACMA Art+Film Gala, which was once again supported by the Italian fashion house.
Previously, personalities tapped to front the Gucci Guilty fragrance family have included Lana del Rey and Jared Leto. They joined the likes of Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles and Florence Welch, to name a few, who also have been the faces of the brand’s scents.
Coty Inc. took over the Gucci fragrance and beauty license from Procter & Gamble at the end of 2016, and since then has worked to rebuild the perfume portfolio and clean up its distribution channels.
In 2019 Gucci dropped its first lipstick line, which in its first month sold more than 1 million units, as reported. The launch was Michele’s first foray into the brand’s makeup, but over the last few years the category has been expanded to include eye and face products, such as a range of foundation, bronzer, highlighter, eye pencils and mascara, among others.
As reported, Gucci’s parent company Kering earlier this month appointed Estée Lauder veteran Raffaella Cornaggia chief executive officer of the division Kering Beauté. Cornaggia is charged with developing the beauty category for Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Pomellato and Qeelin.
Over the past year the buzz had been intensifying about Kering’s move to bring its beauty operations in-house, mirroring what it did with eyewear six years ago.
Commenting on Cornaggia’s appointment, RBC Capital Markets analyst Piral Dadhania said in a note that the operation “should provide Kering with sufficient time to build and develop its in-house capabilities in the category with smaller brands, and over time, offer an alternative in-house option for Gucci Beauty (fragrances and makeup) for when the Coty license deal expires,” which is expected to be in 2028.