Having an icon or legend, typically over the age of 50 and sometimes well beyond, front an ad campaign is the chicest thing in fashion these days. Céline had Joan Didion, Saint Laurent had Joni Mitchell, Marc Jacobs went for Cher, and Brioni, in perhaps the most shocking ad campaign, tapped Metallica. Now Gucci has brought on the distinguished Vanessa Redgrave to front their Cruise 2017 campaign in a punk take on British royalty. The 79-year-old actress stars as the head of household at a British manor where the “kids” roam around in studded jackets, acid washed jeans, and leopard print coats while doing typically bourgeois activities such as casually smelling the roses in the garden or going for an afternoon horseback ride. Released during the London Fashion Week shows at a time when the country is fraught with Brexit drama and nationalist ideas, the campaign simultaneously expresses ideas of rebellion within the confines of tradition.
Shot at Chatsworth, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, by photographer Glen Luchford, the campaign also stars models Hannelore Knuts, Ellen De Weer, Sophia Friesen, Nika Cole, Dwight Hoogendijk, Nika Fortna, Conner Rowson, and Victor Kusma. Gucci has entered into a three-year partnership with Chatsworth to support cultural activities, so expect to see more from the brand at this gorgeous estate. The campaign was styled by Joe McKenna and art directed by Christopher Simmonds with hair by Paul Hanlon and makeup by Yadim Carranza. The campaign will officially debut on October 1st.
