By now we’re all depressingly familiar with the statistics – fashion is the world’s second largest polluter after the oil industry, releasing the equivalent of 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, with the fast fashion industry one of the worst culprits. Which is why the news that Italian fashion house Gucci has just released their first ever sustainable collection is so welcome. Their Off The Grid range, which features pieces made from as many recyclable and organic materials as possible, is the beginning of the brand’s sustainable arm, Gucci Circular Lines.
Designed for “those mindful of their environmental impact”, the collection makes use of bio-based and sustainably sourced materials, including ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon made from nylon offcuts and pre- and post-consumer waste, to create its range of genderless luggage, accessories, footwear and ready-to-wear pieces, from brightly coloured backpacks to high top trainers and jackets.
A host of famous faces feature in the collection’s campaign, which is fronted by actor and activist Jane Fonda, who regularly advocates to raise awareness for climate change as part of her Fire Drill Fridays, where her peaceful protests have sparked a conversation about changing environmental legislation in the United States. In the campaign video, shot by Harmony Korine, Fonda is joined by rapper Lil Nas X, British ecologist and environmentalist David de Rothschild, singer-songwriter King Princess and musician Miyavi as they build a treehouse home in the heart of a towering concrete city out of twigs and branches.
Gucci Off The Grid Edit
The collection uses recycled, organic, bio-based and sustainably sourced materials
The Off The Grid range is being released as part of Gucci Equilibrium, the brand’s commitment to generate positive change for people and our planet. The initiative aims to reduce the house’s environmental impact, while also prioritising inclusivity and respect to ensure their global community feels free to express their “authentic, diverse selves”.
“The collection is the result of teamwork; everybody brought something to it,” says Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele on the line. “And in the campaign, too, there is this idea of dialogue among people building something new. I imagined that we could build a treehouse in a city centre, all together, like kids playing in the park. Because all of us need to build this house or to find out that our planet exists, even where it seems it’s not there, or it’s far away.”
