Back in January I told you guys all about Gucci’s pre- fall campaign. The Luxury fashion house teased us with a series of audition tapes on Instagram which solely focused on people of colour. The models were asked what soul meant to them and then asked to dance for the camera. Now we finally get to see the whole idea behind the tapes. Just over a week ago Gucci officially released the campaign titled “Soul Scene”.
Gucci’s pre-fall campaign is inspired by 1960s influences, such as England’s underground Northern Soul movement, which was sparked by black American soul music. The inspiration for Soul Scene came from a recent exhibition at London’s Photographer’s Gallery called Made You Look, which focused on black masculinity and dandyism. The exhibition emphasises the idea that black men are among the most influential trendsetters in fashion, music, and global style culture in the early 21st century. However, high visibility for black men is accompanied by high vulnerability, as evidenced by disproportionate rates of arrest and incarceration for black men in the UK and the US
It’s a very rare moment for fashion to highlight racial issues but creative director Alessandro Michele did an amazing job! He is showing the world that young black individuals should not be afraid to express themselves. The campaign explores freedom of self-expression and flamboyancy. It is fun, colorful, creative, vibrant, and extremely uplifting!
It is clear that the industry is taking notable steps toward a more representative and positive future. I am so proud of how far the fashion industry has come in the last couple of years and how brands like Gucci are using their platform to highlight such controversial issues. It can really only get better from here!
Kanye West and Alessandro are leading the wave of a more diverse industry and as a black woman, it is incredible to see the industry evolving in the way it is.
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