(First published on December 22, 2018)
This post aims to give the avid Gucci bag lover a walkthrough to Gucci’s print ads and advertising campaigns since its inception in 1921 until present. You will have a better appreciation of the Gucci house codes through the evolution of its visual and marketing identity. Most of all, you will surely enjoy the vintage Gucci ads archive in this post!
A significant aspect of Gucci’s success as a global brand is its advertising efforts. To advertise is to build the fantasy and the wonder around the fashion house which, through time, has developed with the advent of print and photography technologies.
(See: Gallery of Gucci print ad and campaign archive from 1920s to the present at the end of this post!)
To address the wide range of Gucci advertising, perhaps we could begin with the 2010 Gucci Spring-Summer collection Timeless. To market this new watch collection, Gucci pulled from its archives two iconic personalities from the 1970s: British actor Peter Sellers and the German supermodel Veruschka.
2010 Gucci Timeless Ad Campaign with Peter Sellers and Veruschka
Peter was shown in a photo in an airport accompanied by his wife. The two were lugging Gucci travel bags. Veruschka, on the other hand, was promenading about in a wide-brimmed hat with her dogs,and carrying two Gucci shoulder bags.
Gucci’s history plays an integral role in the houses desire for renewal and innovation. These are the ideas that immediately occur to us as we survey the photography archives of former advertising campaigns. The photos speak not only of Gucci’s heritage, but of society as a whole. They are frozen testaments of the fashion zeitgeist of the times, and have been instrumental to the way fashion had been communicated.
An important period in Gucci advertising was during Tom Ford’s era as creative director from 1994 to 2004. Although in charge of Gucci’s image since 1994, it was not only until Fall/Winter 1995 that Gucci began its seasonal campaigns. The campaigns during his time were extensions of Gucci’s creative strategy, and are closely linked with the creative style of Mario Testino, the photographer.
2003 Gucci Spring Summer 2003 ad campaign which, among others Gucci for Tom Ford ads, generated substantial controversy
Over the course of these two decades, three words largely describe the advertisements: luxury, strength, and sex. Not only Mario Testino had exemplified these themes, as various photographers such as Luis Sanchis (Spring/Summer 1998), Steven Klein (Fall/Winter 1998), Alexei Hay (Fall/Winter 2000), Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (Spring/Summer 2001), and Terry Richardson (Fall/Winter 2001 and Spring/Summer 2002) all exhibited the sensual Gucci trademark.
The last of ad campaigns under Tom Ford was for Fall/Winter 2004.
Gucci entered a period of uncertainty post-Tom Ford. In the three seasons from Spring/Summer Resort 2005, Resort 2005, and Fall/Winter 2005, Alessandra Facchinetti took the helm as Gucci’s creative director. This stay was short-lived as she allegedly left the house due to disagreements with the management. Nevertheless, in her few seasons at Gucci, she employed Mario Testino, Craig McDean, and Mert & Marcus for the ad campaigns.
Succeeding Facchinetti was Frida Giannini. Gucci under Frida Giannini took a drastic turn, as the house’s advertising campaigns was redefined through a shift in overt sexuality to a more understated sensuality. Giannini’s first ad campaign for Gucci was Spring/Summer 2005.
The Gucci of di Marco and Giannini focused more in tradition rediscovery more than scandal creation. From Mario Testino’s scandalous imagery under Tom Ford, Giannini’s advertising campaigns highlighted paying tribute to the past and craftsmanship tradition of Gucci. Frequent collaborators include art direction with REM agency [Ruini and Mariotti], and photography by British photographer Craig McDean.
2009 Gucci Fall Winter ad campaign, a quintessential multi-model hallmark under Frida Giannini’s era
McDean’s dynamic portraiture propelled Gucci toward a real-life representation of the models and the Gucci articles, without making them look static nor lose their aspirational value. Moreover, Giannini has commissioned Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, as well as Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott — two power dus in fashion photography — for her publicity campaigns.
The last of ad campaigns under Frida Giannini was for the Cruise 2015 collection.
Under Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s aesthetics has drastically changed. This began by the Pre-Fall 2015 collection.
The clean lines employed by Giannini was subverted by Michele’s over-the-top bordering on kitschy designs, prompting the photographer such as Glen Luchford and Ignasi Monreal to execute the designer’s whimsical fantasies.
2016 Gucci Fall Winter ad campaign
Clearly, Gucci has been long way ahead its early black and white campaigns of featuring merely its bags in front of iconic Florentine backdrops. Gucci is full steam ahead with executing its vision in the the contemporary world.
GUCCI PRINT ADS AND CAMPAIGNS THROUGH THE YEARS
1920s to 1960s
1922 Gucci ad showing Gucci’s address at Via della Vigna Nuova, 7
1950s Gucci d’Italie vintage print advertisement with ‘David’ in the background
1955 Gucci ad for Vogue showing a leather Gucci bag with stirrup hardware and Gucci shoes with horsebit
1957 Gucci vintage print advertisement
1960s Gucci bamboo top handle bag print advertisement with the Palazzo Vecchio
1970s
1970s Gucci ad with supermodel Veruschka and Gucci luggages and a Flora scarf
1970s Gucci Flora print ad
1970s Gucci print ad showing silk dress in Flora print
1970s Gucci print ad with a hooded Gucci silk dress in horsebit print
1970s vintage Gucci advertisement from Harper’s Bazaar
1971 Gucci d’Italie print advertisement (in French)
1973 December Gucci print advertisement in Vogue featuring leather bags, shoes, belt, and Gucci Flora silk scarf
1976 Gucci print ad of various Gucci items
1977 Gucci leather trench coat print ad
1977 Gucci print ad showing a knee-high patent pair of boots with gold hardware
1979 Gucci leather luggage set with ID tags print ad
1979 Gucci-designed Cadillac Seville print advertisement
1980s
1980 Gucci advertisement for American Express
1980s vintage Gucci Accessory Collection for Macy’s advertisement showing an assortment of monogram canvas bags
1981 Gucci ad showing a patent leather saddle bag with gold hardware
1981 Gucci Spring Summer print ad
1982 Gucci print ad showing bags, shoes, wallets, and ties over a sketch background
1983 Gucci ad with the London address, and a Gucci Baiadera print bag
1983 Gucci print ad for the London store
1983 Gucci Spring Summer print ad
1983 Spring Summer print ad with a Gucci canvas and leather bag
1984 Gucci print ad showing RTW for men and women
1985 Gucci print ad showing both a handbag and RTW
1985 Gucci Spring Summer spread
1985 Gucci Timepiece print advertisement
1986 Gucci bag print ad showing bags and shoes from their Fall-Winter catalogue
1986 Gucci Model 9000 Swiss quartz watch print ad
1986 Gucci print ad
1987 Gucci bag print advertisement – Capri at the Quisisana Magazine
1987 Gucci bags print advertisement for Saks Fifth Avenue
1987 Gucci print advertisement showing an assortment of loafers and a leather bag with geometric marking
1987 Gucci print advertisement showing an exotic skin clutch bag
1987 Gucci scarf and shoe print advertisement
1988 Fall Winter print ad showing both Paris and London addresses
1988 Gucci ad
1988 Gucci ad for timepieces with interchangeable bezels
1988 Gucci Spring Summer 1988 print ad
1989 Gucci Fall Winter exotic leather bags print ad
1989 Gucci Fall Winter grained calf leather bag print ad
1989 Gucci Fall Winter print ad showing a set of bags in smooth calfskin
1989 Gucci print ad showing a monogram canvas with red-green stripe shoulder bag
1989 Gucci print ad showing preppy sweaters and cardigans with the red and green stripe
1989 Gucci print advertisement showing an all-leather Gucci bucket bag
1989 Gucci watch print advertisement
1989 Spring Summer Harper’s Bazaar print ad showing a black and white silk dress
1989 Spring Summer print ad showing a black patent bag, red dress, and silk scarf
1989 Spring Summer print ad showing a leather bag and loafers with horsebit hardware, and a silk scarf
1990 to 1994 (Pre-Seasonal Campaign Tom Ford)
1990 Gucci Bamboo Top Handle bag in pigskin leather
1990 Gucci shoe print advertisement
1990 The ‘Hand Of Gucci’ print ad for silk neckties
1990 The ‘Kick of Gucci’ print advertisement
1991 Gucci Bamboo Top Handle bag in exotic skin
1991 Gucci Large Diana Bamboo Handle bag
1991 Gucci print advertisement featuring Heather Stewart Whyte
1991 Gucci print advertisement in exotic skin and golden hardware, modeled by Heather Stewart-Whyte
1991 Gucci Spring Summer luggage set
1992 Gucci fish print silk blouse
1992 Gucci luggage set in leather and canvas
1992 Gucci RTW print advertisement showing a horsebit and tiger print top
1993 Gucci horsebit loafers
1993 Gucci leather hobo bag with trompe l’oeil embossing
1993 Gucci RTW print ad
1994 Gucci bamboo backpack in suede print advertisement featuring Isabelle Townsend
1994 Gucci monogram bag print ad
1994 Gucci print ad bamboo handle hobo in calf leather and suede
1994 Gucci print ad for Ready-to-Wear
1994 Gucci print ad with butterfly print
1994 Gucci suede bamboo backpacks in different colors print ad
Fall/Winter 1995 to Fall/Winter 2004
(Tom Ford Era Seasonal Campaign)
Click on the arrows to view gallery, and click the photo to zoom
Gucci Spring-Summer 1995
Photographer: Mario Testino
Gucci Fall-Winter 1995
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Amber Valletta, Shariz Tal, Christelle Saint Agostin, Keith Mallos, and Andrea Boccalett
Gucci Spring-Summer 1996
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Carolyn Park Chapman, Jann Dunnin, Gerard Smith, Jaonne Watkins, and Ludovico Benazo
Gucci Fall-Winter 1996
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Georgina Greenville, and Ludovico Benazzo
Gucci Spring-Summer 1997
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Jason Fedele
Gucci Fall-Winter 1997
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Carolyn Murphy, and Angela Lindvall
Gucci Spring-Summer 1998
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Erin Cummings, and Ryan Locke
Gucci Fall-Winter 1998
Photographer: Steven Klein
Models: Bridget Hall
Gucci Spring-Summer 1999
Photographer: Edouard Plongeon and Mario Testino
Models: Liisa Winkler, Jacquetta Wheeler, and Robert Konjic
Gucci Fall-Winter 1999
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Jacquetta Wheeler, Liisa Winlker, Hannerole Knuts, Paul Wingall, Oscar Svenson, and James Heathcote
Gucci Spring-Summer 2000
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Lisa Wrinkler, and Jacquetta Wheeler
Gucci Fall-Winter 2000
Photographer: Alexei Hay
Models: Caroline Ribeiro, May Anderson, Axel Herman, and Ryan Burns
Gucci Spring-Summer 2001
Photographer: Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: Kate Moss
Gucci Fall-Winter 2001
Photographer: Terry Richardson
Models: JR Gallison, and Natasa Vojnovic
Gucci Spring-Summer 2002
Photographer: Terry Richardson
Models: Rie Rasmussen
Gucci Fall-Winter 2002
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Natalia Vodianova, and Eduardo Braun
Gucci Spring-Summer 2003
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Carmen Kass, Louise Pedersen, Ivan De Pineda, and Adam Senn
Gucci Fall-Winter 2003
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Dewi Driegen, Nadine Willis, and David Smith
Gucci Spring-Summer 2004
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Hana Soukopova, and Federico Floriani
Gucci Fall-Winter 2004
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Daria Werbowy, Maximiliano Patane, and Alexis Viñas
Spring/Summer 2005 to Fall/Winter 2005
(Alessandra Facchinetti Era as interim Gucci Creative Director)
Gucci Spring-Summer 2005
Photographer: Mario Testino
Models: Natasha Poly, Joao Vellutini, and Javier de Miguel
Gucci Resort 2005
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Doutzen Kroes, and Raquel Zimmermann
Gucci Fall-Winter 2005
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott,
Models: Solange Wilvert
Spring/Summer 2006 to Resort 2015
(Frida Giannini Era as Gucci Creative Director)
Gucci Spring-Summer 2006
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Iselin Steiro, Freja Beha Erichsen
Gucci Fall-Winter 2006
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Iselin Steiro, and Snejana Onopka
Gucci Spring-Summer 2007
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Freja Beha Erichsen, Milana Bogolepova, Mathias Lauridsen, and Nicholas Bemberg
Gucci Resort 2007
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Natasha Poly, and Mat Gordon
Gucci Fall-Winter 2007
Photographer: Craig McDean
Models: Natasha Poly
Gucci Spring-Summer 2008
Photographer: Ines van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: Natasha Poly
Gucci Fall-Winter 2008
Photographer: Ines van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: Lily Donaldson, Eniko Mihalik, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Kasia Struss, Ksenia Kahnovich
Gucci Spring-Summer 2009
Photographer: Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: Natasha Poly, Lily Donaldson, Abbey Lee Kershaw
Gucci Pre-Fall 2009
Photographer: Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: Anja Rubik
Gucci Fall-Winter 2009
Photographer: Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Models: drian Bosch, Benoni Loos, Christian Brylle, Gerhard Freidl, Matvey Lykov, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Anja Rubik, Dree Hemingway, Freja Beha Erichsen, Jacquetta Wheeler, Jamie Bochert, Myf Shepherd, Natasha Poly, and Raquel Zimmermann
Gucci Men’s Fall-Winter 2009
Models: Casey Taylor
Gucci Spring-Summer 2010
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Natasha Poly, and Ryan Kennedy
Gucci Resort 2010
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Natasha Poly, Snejana Onopka, andRyan Kennedy
Gucci Pre-Fall 2010
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Raquel Zimmermann, Joan Smalls, and Nikola Jovanovic
Gucci Fall-Winter 2010
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Raquel Zimmermann, and Nikola Jovanovic
Gucci Spring-Summer 2011
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Joan Smalls, Karmen Pedaru, Nikola Jovanovic, Hailey Clauson, and Gen Huisman
Gucci Resort 2011
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Raquel Zimmermann, and Nikola Jovanovic
Gucci Fall-Winter 2011
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Abbey Lee Kershaw, Joan Smalls, Emily Baker, and Sigrid Agren
Gucci Spring-Summer 2012
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Abbey Lee Kershaw, Karmen Pedaru, and Greg Nawrat
Gucci Resort 2012
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Karmen Pedaru, and Lenz von Johnston
Gucci Pre-Fall 2012
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Karmen Pedaru, Nadja Bender, and Staffan Lindstrom
Gucci Fall-Winter 2012
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Karmen Pedaru, Nadja Bender
Gucci Spring-Summer 2013
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Anja Rubik, and Karmen Pedaru
Gucci Resort 2013
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Hailey Clauson, Joan Smalls, and Karmen Pedaru
Gucci Pre-Fall 2013
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Daria Strokous
Gucci Fall-Winter 2013
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Abbey Lee Kershaw
Gucci Spring-Summer 2014
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Amanda Wellsh, Elisabeth Erm, Tommaso De Benedictis, and Luca Till Stascheit
Gucci Resort 2014
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Andreea Diaconu, and Adrien Sahores
Gucci Pre-Fall 2014
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Anja Rubik, and Clement Chabernaud
Gucci Fall-Winter 2014
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Raquel Zimmermann, Anja Rubik, Natasha Poly, Suvi Koponen, Joan Smalls, and Karmen Pedaru
Gucci Spring-Summer 2015
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Malgosia Bela, and Mathias Lauridsen
Gucci Resort 2015
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Models: Alisa Ahmann, Aneta Pajak, Julia Banas, and Julia Bergshoeff
Pre-Fall 2015 to present
(Alessandro Michele as Gucci Creative Director)
Gucci Pre-Fall 2015
Photographer: Glen Luchford
Models: Sabina Lobova, Julia Hafstrom, and Jack Chambers
Gucci Fall-Winter 2015
Photographer: Glen Luchford
Models: Tessa Charlotte Bruinsma, Tobias Lundh, Lia Pavlova, and Sven de Vries
Gucci Spring-Summer 2016
Photographer: Glen Luchford
Models: Polina Oganicheva, Peyton Knight, Mia Gruenwald, Elizabeth Moore, and Jacob Hugo Goldhoorn
Gucci Resort 2016
Photographer: Glen Luchford
Models: Kadri Vahersalu, Rhiannon McConnell, Tami Williams, Laurie Harding, and Taavi Mandn
Gucci Pre-Fall 2016
Photographer: Glen Luchford
Models: Nicole Atieno, Polina Oganicheva, Eva Minaeva, Laura Hagested, Lia Pavlova, Fionnan Byrne-Perkins, Elie Van Ravels, Anton Tofgart, and Lucas Dambros
