This morning Gucci released their latest campaign, a film promoting their AW22 collection, directed by Mert & Marcus with art direction by Christopher Simmonds. When the clothes first appeared on the runway back in February, the collection was titled ‘Exquisite Gucci’, inspired by the surrealist parlour game Cadavre Exquis (known to us Brits as Consequences), mirrored in today’s campaign with chopped up reimaginings of Stanley Kubrick’s best works.
Creative director of the brand Alessandro Michele has masterfully recreated scenes from the legendary film director’s work - bringing together a powerhouse of a team to do so. Gideon Ponte is the celebrated production and set designer who worked on films such as Buffalo 66 and American Psycho, whilst the Gucci film includes exact costume replicas by long-time Kubrick collaborator Milena Canonero alongside Charlotte Walter.
“I had the intention of placing the collection in Kubrick’s iconic scenes, where my clothes exist organically in his world, but feel completely alien at the same time – it’s my tribute to cinema and to one of its brightest maestros”, Michele told Vogue.
Since the release of his first film 2001: A Space Odyssey back in 1968, Stanley Kubrick’s influence on culture has been limitless. From music to fashion, art and interiors, admiration for the director’s work spans both generations and continents.
Whilst Alessandro Michele may be the most recent of fashion designers to draw from Kubrick’s world, he was far from the first. For decades in fact, designers have used Stanley Kubrick as a reference point for fashion collections, set design and runway soundtracks too. Below, we list some of the key moments that fashion paid homage to Kubrick.
Alexander McQueen, ‘The Overlook’ Ready-to-Wear AW99
When Alexander McQueen based his AW99 collection on The Shining it wasn’t the first time the designer had referenced horror. Whether it was tales of Jack the Ripper, cult Vampire film The Hunger, the disturbing images of Joel-Peter Witkin or the real life horrors of 18th century war; McQueen liked to forefront the macabre.
For this particular collection (named after The Shining’s abandoned ‘Overlook’ hotel), McQueen turned the runway into the snowy maze that features in the film’s finale. Models ice-skated within a giant Lucite box, replicating a Victorian snow globe.
McQueen also referenced Kubrick in his SS07 show, Sarabande (after which his foundation is named). As well as Barry Lyndon (1975), the collection notes also listed Goya and the Marchesa Casati as references.
Jean Paul Gaultier & Madonna, Blonde Ambition Tour, 1990
When we think of Jean Paul Gaultier’s (now iconic) costumes for Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour, naturally, our minds go first to the cone bra. What we’re quick to forget, is that when paired with braces, bowler hat and cane, Gaultier’s reference point was unquestionably A Clockwork Orange (1972).
What’s more, this summer Gaultier gave Alessandro Michele a run for his money as fashion’s favourite cinephile; putting together an exhibition based around the films most influential to his life and career. Held at the CaixaForum in Madrid, ‘Cinema and Fashion’ featured a reinterpretation of the infamous bowler hat and overalls. With a JPG/Madonna twist, of course.
Madonna performing a chair choreography while wearing an outfit inspired by the dystopian film, A Clockwork Orange
— Madonna Daily (@madonnaxdaily) June 15, 2021
Blond Ambition Tour, 1990 pic.twitter.com/lDlaTzKiwN
Moschino, Ready-to-Wear AW22
During Milan fashion week last season, Jeremy Scott turned his Moschino show into a Kubrick scene, referencing the director’s earliest film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The set was a replica of what Kubrick called “the French provincial hotel room”, whilst the clothes were an amalgamation of household items - lamps, vases, trays, clocks. Described by Scott backstage as: “like being in a cage in outer space”.
Unexpectedly, the original costume designer for the 1968 film was Hardy Amies, more commonly known for his classic tailoring as well as being Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite designer.
Louis Vuitton, Ready-to-Wear AW20
Under creative director Nicholas Ghesquière, in 2020 (just as the world was about to enter a different sci-fi horror: covid), Louis Vuitton’s closing Paris Fashion Week show was an ode to the work of Stanley Kubrick. Milena Canonero was brought in (as with Gucci today) to collaborate with Ghesquière for the collection, the pair working together to develop clothes with a futuristic feel, not dissimilar to the dystopia of A Clockwork Orange (1972).
CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC Ready-to-Wear SS18
The time that Raf Simons spent at Calvin Klein may have been short, but it was certainly sweet. Back in 2017, for his SS18 show, Simons paid tribute to his love of American cinema. The clothes went beyond Kubrick, referencing the likes of Carrie and Easy Rider. However, the set (featuring an installation by long-time collaborator Sterling Ruby) gave a nod to The Shining, axes included.
