Designer Priya Ahluwalia has joined forces with Gucci, as part of the brand’s first ever digital film festival, Guccifest. The event, which launched 16 Nov. and is running until 22 Nov., will premiere Alessandro Michele’s latest collection via a seven-episode mini series titled “Ouverture of Something that Never Ended”. Codirected by award-winning film director Gus Van Sant, the miniseries will feature a host of international talents including Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Arlo Parks.
The launch has come as a result of Michele choosing to go in a different direction to the traditional fashion week schedule and instead offering two seasonless and genderless shows a year. On the topic, Michele revealed “I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, close to my expressive call. Clothes should have a longer life than that which these words attribute to them. So much outrageous greed made us lose the harmony and the care, the connection and the belonging.”
Spotlighting independent young designers, Gucci will also be premiering a total of 15 fashion films on their social channels, featuring the designers’ latest collections. Priya Ahluwalia, creator of the namesake label Ahluwalia, is one of the first to have their fashion films premiered. Joy, which launched last night at 8 p.m. GMT, is a fusion of documentary and film that seeks to celebrate the “everyday beauty and strength of Black existence” through its powerful portrayal of activists, community leaders and steelband players. The film showcases items from Ahluwalia’s latest collection, continually inspired by her Nigerian, Jamaican, and Indian heritage.
Alongside Ahluwalia, designers like Mowalola Ogunlesi and Bianca Saunders are also being featured in the festival. Guccifest is available to watch from Gucci’s channels now.
