00. SPECIAL ISSUE
CELEBRATING
10 YEARS
OF FLORA BY GUCCI
BY CHRIS
CUNNINGHAM
CELEBRATING
10 YEARS OFf
FLORA BY GUCCI
THIS YEAR, 2019, WAS THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ICONIC VIDEO CAMPAIGN FOR THE FRAGRANCE FLORA BY GUCCI, DIRECTED BY THE LEGENDARY CHRIS CUNNINGHAM.
WITH THE CREATIVE DIRECTION OF RICCARDO RUINI, AT THE TIME AT REM AGENCY, CUNNINGHAM DIRECTED THIS PIECE FOR GUCCI WHICH SHOWS ACTRESS AND MODEL ABBEY LEE KERSHAW, JUST 22 AT THE TIME.
IN THE FILM SHE APPEARS AS A MAGICAL BEING, ABLE TO CONTROL THE BREEZE IN A MAGNIFICENT FLOWER FIELD, IN WHAT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FRAGRANCE. IT WAS SHOT IN A LATVIAN MEADOW DURING THE SUMMER OF 2008, WITH THE RE-ARRANGEMENT OF DONNA SUMMER’S I FEEL LOVE, WHICH DONNA HERSELF RE-RECORDED IN NASHVILLE.
THE FILM WON SEVERAL AWARDS INCLUDING 1 GOLD AND 1 BRONZE LION AT THE PRESTIGIOUS CANNES ADVERTISING FESTIVAL.
“TO ME THE MOST MAGICAL TIME OF FILMING FLORA WAS WHEN THE LIGHT OF RIGA WAS STARTING TO FADE AND THE WIND WAS PLAYING WITH THE ROSES AND ABBEY LEE’S CLOTHES. THIS WAS A SURREAL MOMENT WHICH REMAINED MAGICAL EVEN IN THE POST PRODUCTION PHASE, AS CHRIS REWORKED THE SCENE AND MANAGED TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE. EDITING AND MIXING TOGETHER THE UNFORGETTABLE VOICE OF DONNA SUMMER. A DREAMLIKE RESULT, ALMOST MYSTICAL.”
FRIDA GIANNINI
IN 2009
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT GUCCI
“SHOOTING FLORA WAS MORE THAN A JOB. IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. TO BE THE CENTER PIECE OF A TEAM OF CREATIVE THINKERS COMING TOGETHER TO CREATE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOVING IMAGE WAS SUCH AN HONOR. I REMEMBER AFTER ONE EVENING SHOOTING IN THAT BREATHTAKING LATVIAN SUNSET EVERYBODY HAVING TEARS IN THEIR EYES. I’M SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF ART THAT WILL ALWAYS BE EPIC AND MEMORABLE.”
ABBEY-LEE KERSHAW
ACTRESS/MODEL
FLORA CAMPAIGN
THE VISION OF FRIDA GIANNINI, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF GUCCI AT THE TIME OF PRODUCTION, MADE THIS UNIQUE FILM POSSIBLE. MANY GREAT TALENTS AND PROFESSIONALS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION: STYLIST EMMANUELLE ALT,
MAKE-UP ARTIST TOM PECHEUX AND HAIR STYLIST LUIGI MURENU.
FILMMASTER COLLABORATED WITH RSA FILM TO PRODUCE THE PIECE.
“FROM A WHEAT FIELD IN LATVIA, CHOSEN FOR ITS RARE AND REMARKABLE LIGHT AT A PARTICULAR TIME OF YEAR AND A PARTICULAR TIME OF DAY, I WATCHED THREE BRILLIANT CREATIVE FORCES JOIN TOGETHER AND FORGE SOMETHING STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL. SINCE THEN, I HAVE SEEN THE ICONIC VIDEOGRAPHY OF FLORA BY GUCCI USED AS AN INSPIRATION AND REFERENCE FOR CREATIVE AND ART DIRECTION ACROSS COUNTLESS PROJECTS.”
JOSHUA BRAMAN
IN 2009
MARKETING DIRECTOR GUCCI BEAUTY
OVER 20,000 FAKE FLOWERS WERE CREATED TO MAKE THIS DREAMY SET.
THEY WERE HAND PAINTED ONE BY ONE AND COMBINED WITH METAL STEAMS TO STAND IN A WHEAT FIELD. TWO GIGANTIC WIND MACHINES HELD BY TWO MEN ON A CRANE WERE USED TO CREATE THE EFFECT OF THE MAGICAL WIND BLOWING THE FLOWERS.
“THE SHOOT WAS A MAGICAL MOMENT AND WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING SOMETHING UNIQUE. LIVING THE CREATION OF A LITTLE MASTERPIECE.”
RICCARDO RUINI
IN 2009
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT REM
Photos: Jennifer Livingstone
ISSUE N° 22 / CHANTECLER CAPRI CELEBRATING 2 YEARS OF COLLABORATION
ISSUE N° 21 / INTIMISSIMI THE NEW SILKY INTIMATES CAMPAIGN WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ
ISSUE N° 20 / FRIDA GIANNINI:A JOURNEY INTO THE STYLE AND MUSIC OF MY ICONS SINCE 1969 - THE YEAR OF THE BIG BANG.
ISSUE N° 19 / INTIMISSIMI FW23: “THIS IS ME...NOW” CAMPAIGN WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ
ISSUE N° 18 / PINKO FW23 EMBRACING FEARLESS BEAUTY WITH GEORGIA MAY JAGGER
ISSUE N° 17 / INTIMISSIMI FALL 23 THE ITALIAN SUMMER CONTINUES WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ&
ISSUE N° 16 / PINKO NEVERLAND 2 SPRING/SUMMER 2023 CAMPAIGN
ISSUE N° 15 / PINKO NEVERLAND SPRING/SUMMER 2023 CAMPAIGN
ISSUE N° 14 / “ALLORA FEST” 1ST EDITION 21-26 JUNE 2022, OSTUNI
ISSUE N° 13 LA PERLA SPRING SUMMER 2022 / LA PERLA SPRING SUMMER 2022 "SUMMER IN THE CITY"
ISSUE N° 12 / RRS PARK HYATT MILANO
ISSUE N° 11 PACIOTTI / PACIOTTI FW 21/22
ISSUE N° 10 BLAZÉ / BLAZÉ FW 21 "AFTERNOON DELIGHT WITH DREE HEMINGWAY"
ISSUE N° 09 PINKO FALL WINTER 21/22 / PINKO FALL WINTER 21/22 "PINKO WONDERLAND "
ISSUE N° 08 PINKO FALL WINTER 21/22 / PINKO FALL WINTER 21/22 "PINKO IN WONDERLAND"
ISSUE N° 07 BLAZE PRE FALL 2021 / BLAZE PRE FALL 2021 “HOME SUIT(E) HOME”
ISSUE N° 06 / PINKO SS 2021 CAMPAIGN
ISSUE N° 05 / WALK FOR GIANTS WITH RICCARDO RUINI STUDIO
ISSUE N° 04 / PINKO FW 2020/21 CAMPAIGN
ISSUE N° 03 / LA PERLA SS 2020 BY RICCARDO RUINI STUDIO
ISSUE N° 02. PINKO SS 2020 / PINKO SS 2020 CAMPAIGN WITH LILY ALDRIDGE
ISSUE N° 01. WWD ARTICLE APRIL 13 2020 / CORONAVIRUS CRISIS HITS FALL 2020 AD CAMPAIGN PRODUCTION
ISSUE N° 00. SPECIAL ISSUE / CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OFf FLORA BY GUCCI