Welcome to the 107th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we put on our Gucci tracksuits and pop some popcorn, getting ready to immerse ourselves in Stanley Kubrick’s cinematic portfolio.
On Thursday last week, Alessandro Michele unveiled his Autumn 2022 campaign for the Gucci maison. Paying homage to Stanley Kubrick, an exceptional American director, the 87 second short film explores the most iconic moments of his career.
Accompanied by stills, the video, directed by duo Mert Alas and Marcus Pigott, recreates scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. Each set is nearly 1:1 with the original body of work, constructed in partnership with the University of Arts London, which doubles as the home of Stanley Kubrick’s archive.
The fittings were sourced by Kubrick’s age-old costume designers Milena Canero and Charlotte Water, recreating each scene with utmost accuracy. Sourcing help from the Warner Bros., Gucci was able to achieve a ridiculously similar viewing experience, even shooting the film in the creative’s signature one-point perspective style.
In regard to the advert itself, Gucci models were vicariously placed in each scene, sporting their latest collaboration with Adidas. Spoken from the designer, “As an act of love, I decided to reinhabit Kubrick’s films, pushing to the core this incendiary approach. Sticking to my creative praxis, I seized those movies, resemanticising them, populating them with my clothes.”
Despite Alessandro Michele’s history with film reference, the campaign has sparked mild controversy. Many argue the line between inspiration and appropriation, especially as the director himself passed in 1999. However, with respect for the lengths Michele has taken to retain historical accuracy, an argument is to be made for the creative’s celebration of art.
Kubrick’s “ability to build stories that exceed significance, crossing borders and setting labels on fire, has always been deeply inspiring to me,” Michele stated.
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