The Influential: Models Do Their Own Styling, Hair, Makeup & Photography For Gucci’s “The Ritual” Campaign

For its new The Ritual advertising campaign, Gucci gives viewers a behind the scenes look, keeping in line with Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s vision to show new perspectives and pull back the curtains, continuing to explore new possibilities and a different point of view. Rather than a staged production—so to speak—models were asked to tell their own stories, to wear the clothes the way they normally would do from the comfort of their own homes (or other personal spaces), recording themselves while doing so. The result is an authentic portrayal of these “characters” within their real, intimate spaces—a fresh take on a high fashion ad campaign. While much of the country and world continues to be cautious due to the pandemic, this also speaks to those who are continuing to stay home/quarantine, transforming the home into a “personal creative laboratory, whose inhabitants are free to have fun and experiment using their imagination.” Even the devices used to capture these moments were varied, from disposable cameras to camera phones, reflecting each individual in a separate and unique way. “I decided to let the clothes travel towards the houses of the cast of models—the characters that have embodied my stories for years; individuals I chose precisely, over time, for their uniqueness that usually brings my campaigns to life,” began Michele. “I asked them to represent the idea they have of themselves, to go public with it, shaping the poetry that accompanies them. I encouraged them to play, improvising with their life.” Check out some of the images below and the video for the campaign, as well.