Gucci’s pre-fall 2017 advertising campaign, titled “Soul Scene” is celebrating diversity by featuring only people of color.
Photographed by Glen Luchford, the flamboyant images portray a range of models and artists passionately dancing and posing in front of the camera, while sporting the eye-catching outfits of Gucci’s latest pre-fall collection.
Creative director Alessandro Michele was originally inspired by “Made You Look,” an exhibition, which closed in September at London’s The Photographer’s Gallery, collecting pictures of different artists to celebrate the masculinity of men of color expressed through a dandy style.
The original reference was then combined with the atmospheres evoked by the pictures of Malian artist Malick Sidibé, who portrayed the young people, the parties and the families of Bamako, Mali’s capital, in the Sixties and the Seventies, as well as the influences of the Northern Soul movement, which emerged in Northern England in the late Sixties as a particular expression of American soul music.
The energetic and vibrant images will make their debut in international fashion publications this month.
Gucci, which is donating 2 million euros, or $2.1 million at current exchange rates, to support the restoration of Florence’s Boboli Gardens, will host a resort runway show at the Palatine Gallery at Pitti Palace, which overlooks the gardens, on May 29.
On May 18, a Gucci men’s capsule collection, featuring 43 pieces, designed by Michele, will make its debut at Yoox Net-a-porter Group’s Mr Porter online store. Last year, Michele created a one-off, 20-piece collection of ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories for Net-a-porter. It was the first exclusive capsule that Michele did as creative director of Gucci, and was part of an ongoing strategy by Net-a-porter to break out top performers, superbrands and emerging stars and give them special recognition on the site.