Catherine Conyard
When influencer and love island star Molly-Mae Hague was seen sporting her new The North Face x Gucci jacket branding it as ‘chav chic,’ she generated controversy (unsurprisingly!). As a highly regarded influencer, many trolls were quick to attack her accusing her of classism. Yet, many of her fans came to her defense claiming that the term merely referred to the trend in stylish athleisure and loungewear. Upon further inspection of the rest of the collaboration, for me, it is clear that all of the items can be used to elevate your dog walking outfit even if Molly-Mae does think it looks slightly chavvy!
Make no mistake, if you are brave enough to wear these items in a snowstorm, you would be hard to miss.
Blending Gucci’s eccentric aesthetic with The North’s Face expertise in outdoor clothing, the collection is a branding enthusiast’s dream. The logo is splashed all over nylon hats, windbreakers and backpacks. Similarly, the puffer jacket, which Hague was seen exhibiting, features the classic brown Gucci colourway and monogram clearly making it the star of the show and feeding into the ‘logomania’ present nowadays.
Other garments nod to Gucci’s Italian heritage by making use of vivid colours and whimsical floral prints. The silk dresses, pleated skirts and bomber style jogger set are extremely reminiscent of 1970s fashion. Make no mistake, if you are brave enough to wear these items in a snowstorm, you would be hard to miss.
So, although stereotypical lovers of Gucci and the North Face often don’t cross paths, this collaboration offers the ability to bring people together through a style conscious way to experience the outdoors.
This collection marks the first collaboration for Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele who was appointed the position in 2015. More significantly, this collection reflects Gucci’s determination to become more environmentally aware. This is especially seen in many of the accessories where there is heavy use of ECONYL®, a nylon fabric made from regenerated materials. “We are a big brand, so we have a responsibility to take care of our industry,” Michele explained to British Vogue, phrasing this shift for the fashion house as “fashion that has a longer life.” Therefore, working with The North Face, who have been engaging with sustainable suppliers for a number of years, has enabled Gucci to create such an environmentally considered collection.
Considering that the outdoors became one of the few places of comfort for so many in 2020, this collaboration makes sense in its celebration of nature. Even better, it is reassuring to see how the big fashion brands are now making an effort to protect it. So, although stereotypical lovers of Gucci and the North Face often don’t cross paths, this collaboration offers the ability to bring people together through a style conscious way to experience the outdoors.
Catherine Conyard
Featured image courtesy of @SoQ??? via Flickr. Image license here. No changes made to this image.
In-article image courtesy of @bashperkinsx and @lu01042012 via Twitter. No changes made to these images.
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