Sandra‘s Closet

Gucci unveils «We Will Always Have London», a new campaign by Creative Director Sabato De Sarno to present the Gucci Blondie bag and Cruise 2025 collection. Debbie Harry and Kelsey Lu, captured by the visionary Nan Goldin, are the protagonists of a story of people, places and moments, an ode to the timeless allure of London, and the House’s deep connection to the city. 

With a creative vision that evolves and deepens each season, from the discreet setting of S/S 2024 to the exploration of new sensuality in F/W 2024, Sabato De Sarno’s latest campaign for Gucci introduces new languages of artistry and romance. This latest chapter in a voyage through various dimensions of stylistic expression is set in London, an eternal muse for music, art, and culture, and where the Cruise 2025 collection debuted, embodying the creative spirit of the House’s ongoing love affair with the city. It was here, over a century ago, that a young Guccio Gucci, working as a liftboy at The Savoy hotel, first encountered the elegance and sophistication of the international elite. This experience sparked his ambition and led to the founding of his eponymous leather goods house in 1921, forging an enduring bond with London. This connection continues to shape Gucci’s creative journey, celebrated in the Cruise 2025 collection and in the «We Will Always Have London» campaign. 

Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Nan Goldin, brings her distinctive vision to the campaign. With honors such as France’s prestigious Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in 2006, and a 2023 Academy Award nomination for her documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Goldin is widely regarded as one of the most influential photographers of our time. For «We Will Always Have London,» her documentary-style approach infuses the imagery with an intimate, rare power. Goldin’s skill in capturing the raw essence of her subjects weaves a story where fashion transcends the runway, embodying the free-spirited energy at the core of Sabato De Sarno’s vision. The campaign follows its protagonists through various locations in the city under a mysterious nighttime ambiance, creating a cinematic narrative that melds timeless influences with a contemporary edge. 

Cultural icon Debbie Harry, co-founder and frontwoman of Blondie – whose rebellious spirit, trailblazing style, and enduring musical influence continue to inspire generations, stars alongside one of today’s most esteemed performing artists, cellists, and composers, Kelsey Lu.

These two women, though from distinct generations, share an undeniable creative spirit. Together, they symbolize the fusion of past and future that Gucci so often explores, and they embody the spirit of the Gucci Blondie bag, a timeless icon reimagined in the Cruise 2025 collection. The campaign features moments in London’s iconic cabs and atmospheric  spaces. Joining them are Alaato Jazyper, the face of Gucci’s F/W 2024 campaign, and Yanan Wan, who opened the Cruise 2025 runway at Tate Modern. As they explore the spaces of London’s home of modern art, they bring the collection’s narrative to life. 

At the heart of the campaign is the Gucci Blondie bag, not merely an accessory, but a piece of the House’s legacy reimagined for today’s world. First introduced in the early 1970s, the bag’s signature rounded emblem, crafted from leather or enamel, echoes the liberated spirit in the era of its origins, while its sleek, spacious silhouette speaks to today’s aesthetic. 

A collection that reflects the bold and the subtle, the Gucci Cruise 2025 collection continues this dialogue between past and future, weaving together contrasting elements in a celebration of opposites. Embroidered embellishments and delicate laces meet structured, precision-cut outerwear in a captivating exploration of dualities. 

LoL, Sandra

CREDITS: © Gucci – Creative Director: Sabato De Sarno  – Artistic Director: Riccardo Zanola  – Director: Benoît Delhomme with Nan Goldin  – Photographer: Nan Goldin  – Stylist: Francesca Burns  – Casting Director: Piergiorgio Del Moro  – Make Up: Brigitte Reiss-Andersen  – Hair: Jimmy Paul  – Talent : Debbie Harry, Kelsey Lu  DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. 

Louis Vuitton will showcase its Cruise 2025 fashion show in Barcelona on the 23rd of May 2024, one of its multiple collaborative actions with the Catalan capital. These actions notably involve the organisation of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona, including the Louis Vuitton Cup qualifying session, to begin in summer 2024.

Steeped in tradition and innovation – with the «Art of Travel» at its core – Louis Vuitton has staged shows across the globe at world-renowned locations and landmarks of architectural significance, paying homage to art and local culture. Previously, the Maison has held its Cruise shows at venues including John Lautner’s Bob & Dolores Hope Estate in Palm Springs, Oscar Niemeyer’s Contemporary Art Museum in Niterói, I.M. Pei’s Miho Museum near Kyoto, the Salk Institute in California, and Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore among others.

The upcoming Cruise Fashion Show will take place in a location in Barcelona to be revealed at a later date.

Louis Vuitton’s store on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona

The Maison’s latest stop in the Catalan capital brings guests and viewers to a major cultural centre and tourist destination. Nestled on the border of the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and dynamic destinations in Europe.

«It is an immense pleasure to collaborate with the city of Barcelona sharing common values with Louis Vuitton that are deeply anchored into a remarkable heritage and the passion for creativity. The upcoming Cruise fashion show, encapsulating Women’s Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquière’s vision for the collection, as well as the upcoming Louis Vuitton Cup and the 37th America’s Cup will undoubtfully capture Louis Vuitton’s long-standing relationship with Barcelona and the Catalan region in the most ultimate way.» says Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton Cruise 2023 Collection at the Salk Institute

Along with the show, Louis Vuitton will also celebrate the LV Cup and the 37th edition of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona with multiple events such as hospitality, an exhibition, and cultural activations with guests from around the world. Additionally, Louis Vuitton will launch its much-anticipated City Guide for Barcelona alongside a cultural pop-up kiosk and event. Barcelona and Louis Vuitton are also working on educational programmes to support creativity and design in the city. Louis Vuitton’s relationship with Barcelona dates back from the beginning of the 20th century as the Maison played an active role at the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition, bringing together industry, art, and innovation.

For its third Cruise collection presentation, Louis Vuitton traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2017.

Georges Vuitton (Louis Vuitton’s son) was a member of the jury and was also awarded a grand prize for his toiletry cases. Louis Vuitton opened its first store in Spain in the city of Barcelona in 1987 and now has two stores in the Catalan capital. Louis Vuitton’s footprint extends to the Catalonia region, well-known for its great leather savoir-faire tradition, where the Maison opened its first workshop in 1990 and now operates six leather goods workshops in Catalunya employing over 1800 people.

I am very excited for this show.

LoL, Sandra

A look from Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2024 show at Isola Bella.

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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GUCCI TO PRESENT ITS NEXT CRUISE COLLECTION IN LONDON NEXT MAY
London, where everything started. The House will showcase its Cruise 2025 collection, designed by Creative Director Sabato De Sarno, in London, on May 13. The choice of location pays tribute to Gucci’s profound connection to the British capital, intrinsically linked to the brand’s heritage, and offers new opportunities to delve into the integral role the city has played in shaping the brand’s narrative throughout its storied history as a world-renowned symbol of Italian craft, visionary creativity, and innovative design.

Gucci Creative Director Sabato De Sarno

GUCCI AND LONDON
The story of Gucci began in London in 1897 when a young Guccio Gucci took a job as a luggage porter and liftboy at the city’s exclusive The Savoy hotel. Carrying guests’ luggage through its famous revolving entrance doors and operating the lift up to the rooms and suites, the teenage Guccio encountered up close the tastes and lifestyle of the international elite, absorbing – as if by creative osmosis – new ideas, broader horizons, and more worldly cultural concerns. Inspired by these experiences, and with a new-found aspiration to make his name synonymous with the art of luggage making, Guccio returned to Florence and in 1921 founded his eponymous leather-goods house, followed by the first Gucci store on the city’s Via della Vigna Nuova.

LoL, Sandra

Rodolfo and Guccio Gucci in front of their Florence store in the late 1940s.

Photos: © Gucci
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