From November 16 to 22 Gucci will present its new fashion line through its Guccifest series of short films.
The event anchors itself around a collaboration between the fashion house’s creative visionary Alessandro Michele and Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant.
The pair have dubbed their series Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended.
Episode one follows androgynous Italian actress Silvia Calderoni through her eccentric household routine.
The clip also featured a musical cameo from pop star Billie Eilish.
The second installment, At The Cafe, sees Silvia leaving rendezvousing with songwriter and poet Arlo Parks before embarking on a surreal trip through Rome.
Five more installments, two of which will feature musicians Florence Welch and Harry Styles, will arrive in the coming days.
While Van Zant has taken a rather mysterious approach to what he terms a “cinematic fusing” of art and commerce, viewers are assured there is an overarching plot.
The series reflects the leading fashion label’s move away from runaway fashion events and seasonal release cycles.
Instead, the 99-year-old fashion house has committed to releasing two “seasonless” collections in April and November each year.
While the international break out of COVID-19 hastened this decision, the negative environmental impact of runway culture and the pressure it places on fashion designer’s creativity has been noted for some time.
Luxury fashion’s carbon footprint is also a key concern for the major fashion houses’ newest customers, Generation Z.
Alessandro Michele maintains the move had been on his agenda since first stepping into the role of Gucci’s creative director six years ago.
“It has been in the air for many years,” he shared in a public statement earlier this year.
“We need to follow a new narrative and new communication.”
“While the pandemic did not condition the project,” he revealed, “for me, it created a speedier reaction.”
“Therefore, I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call.”
Gucci’s recent campaigns have also combined showings of male and female lines, cultivating something more in step with the gender-fluid philosophy of younger generations.
A lifelong film lover, Michele was excited to explore the idea of showing Gucci’s new collections through film.
“It was a spontaneous idea to make something within just a few weeks,” he told the Associated Press ahead of Guccifest. “I sort of found that exciting and challenging, like something I had done before.”
“The combination of cinema with exposing fashion ideas has a lot of potentials as cinema starts to get sucked into the computer screen,’’ Van Zant also shared.
Guccifest will also spotlight several short films submitted by aspiring designers.
Viewers can view the entirety of the Guccifest films here.
