The North Face & Gucci
Gucci reveals its collaboration with The North Face that celebrates the spirit of exploration. Whether literal exploration of places and cultures or the more metaphorical adventures encouraged today by Creative Director Alessandro Michele, Gucci has always catered to the curious, presenting its clothes as tools that push the wearer into different territories.
The North Face famously outfits those who seek adventure. But there are also deeper parallels between the stories of Gucci and its new partner. Since their founding in San Francisco in 1966, the brand has committed to pioneering product innovation and enabling all forms of exploration. It is a well acknowledged notion that travel leads to self-discovery, and in this conviction The North Face is aligned with Gucci, which similarly empowers people in their quest to celebrate and express their own characters and personalities, embedding Alessandro Michele’s approach towards fashion as a powerful instrument of freedom.
To promote this new partnership, Alessandro Michele has conceived a campaign shot by Daniel Shea, set in the Alps. In stills and video, as well as through content created for TikTok, we are led through a trip to the great outdoors with a group of Gucci-clad hikers, who camp by the lakes. The forests and peaks of the region form a vast and breath-taking scenic backdrop to the imagery, which in capturing colorful candid moments of group activity are reminiscent of holiday snaps, effortlessly showcasing the distinctive products. The campaign’s atmosphere evokes the aesthetic of the 70’s, when The North Face was a thriving outdoor retailer based in Berkeley, CA and shared a factory and storefront adjacent to Credence Clearwater Revival’s practice studio, whose iconic song “Bad Moon Rising” is featured throughout the video campaign.
This special cross-category collection for men and women comprises ready-to-wear, soft accessories, luggage and shoes, as well as some more unexpected pieces linked to the outdoor world of The North Face, such as tents and sleeping bags.
The North Face x Gucci Collection is in line with the commitments of both the two brands to eco-sustainable activities. Luggage contains ECONYL®— a nylon fabric sourced from regenerated materials (from fish nets, carpets and other scraps) that can be recycled and recreated, aiding in decreasing its ecological footprint. Additionally, the color palette was inspired by the 70’s and curated from The North Face materials library. Archival fabrics have been partially incorporated into the collection to give them a new life.
Packaging for the pieces come in vibrant pink featuring The North Face X Gucci logo. The garment and carrier bags, boxes and pouches have been strategically designed to reduce the environmental impact at every step of creation. All paper and cardboard come from sustainably managed forest sources and an uncoated paper has been used to ensure it is fully recyclable. To reduce the amount of paper, boxes are equipped with handles to avoid using shopping bags. Larger items come in shopping bags and cotton covers without boxes.
Debuting in China, the collection will be distributed through distinctly designed stores and ephemeral Gucci Pins, where the special bright floral patterns of the range will be used to dress the spaces and effect façade takeovers. A limited selection of The North Face x Gucci pieces will also be available on gucci.com, with some exciting online exclusives.
Shining a light on the collection’s motifs, Gucci Artwalls will be unveiled in five cities – Hong-Kong, Shanghai, London, New York and Milan – and will feature dedicated imagery with a variety of creative executions. Though all different, these pieces of street art will all incorporate The North Face x Gucci logo.
The ready-to-wear collection features not only goose-feather down padded coats, bomber, and vest but also shirts, skirts and jumpsuits. The outerwear silhouettes and equipment are based on original designs from The North Face in the 70’s. Also included in the offer there are quilted jacket, nylon shirts and skirts and windbreakers; refined silk-twill bowling sets, skirts and chemise dresses; T-shirts, sweatshirts and a fleece jacket with the matching. Some pieces come in bright colors and feature several floral prints created in partnership with The North Face especially for the collaboration, some of which have a new The North Face x Gucci logo incorporated into their designs. This combined logo, that features The North Face three curved lines and the famous green-red-green Gucci Web stripe, is also featured on a dedicated label.
For luggage, there are eight new graphic patterns, designed in collaboration with The North Face. All feature bright colors and a variety of either Gucci House motifs or different versions of the new The North Face logo x Gucci print. Two new backpacks and two new belt bags are dressed up in these exclusive prints. A dome-shaped medium backpack (available in five different prints) has contrast leather patches, rope zip pullers and web straps, while a larger size (available in six different prints) recalls hiking backpacks with its multiple pockets and top flap with snaps, and also features the same detailing as its smaller cousin. A small belt bag comes in seven different prints, and a maxi size one with three front flap pockets is offered in two different prints.
The shoe is a gender-neutral hiking boot with a chunky and sturdy Goodyear-welted sole. The boot comes in three colors of leather (brown, black and cream), features eyelets and rope like striped laces, as well as The North Face x Gucci logo prominently displayed on the side.
