The Italian luxury fashion house, Gucci, enlivens the last quarter of 2023 with a futuristic reimagination of its classic piece – the Horsebit. Rekindling a past silhouette, the House presents its renowned equestrian-inspired bag through an asymmetrical aesthetic in a new collaboration with pop powerhouse, Billie Eilish. This new iteration is forged in Demetra – a neoteric animal-free material distinguished by its prime quality, suppleness and permanence. A boon of shared values on advocacy, the Gucci x Billie Eilish collaboration leaves an impactful mark in the growing space of ethical fashion.
The first Gucci bag to be wholly crafted in Demetra, this Horsebit 1955 embodies the House’s forward-thinking stance on incorporating ethics into fashion. Demetra, made from 75% plant-sourced raw materials melded with a key synthetic protective coating, is the next-generation luxury textile. Two years of thorough research and development helmed by Gucci’s own accomplished technicians and artisans culminated in the animal-free Demetra, which has been produced since 2021 within a Gucci factory in Italy. This newest launch dons a unique silhouette, welcoming a new perspective to the House’s traditional rectangular-shaped handbags that have assimilated into trademarks of opulence.
In celebrating this affiliation, a stunning campaign of imagery and videos was curated, with each item expressing Billie’s tone of voice and artistic pith in all its authenticity. Set to her heartfelt song, “What Was I Made For?”, the videos string together a collection of cinematic moments that felt akin to an album of Billie’s life. The campaign captures how artistic expression permeates strongly through music and fashion alike, elevating the significance of the collaboration.
Beyond a symbol of evolving design in fashion, this innovative bag accentuates the House’s conviction to generate positive change for our people and planet. This intent is depicted in Gucci Equilibrium, an ongoing commitment towards attaining circularity and sustainability in social and environmental facets. Further augmenting its efforts, the House has also made a substantial donation to Support+Feed, a non-profit organisation founded in 2020 by Maggie Baird. The organisation prioritises curbing climate crisis and food insecurity by championing a global shift to an equitable plant-based food system.
Existing as a testament to the melding of environmentally-conscious fashion and bold artistic advocacy, the Gucci Horsebit 1955 Demetra bag paints a promising image for change: a kinder and more sustainable future within the fashion industry.
Swipe through to see the full Gucci campaign featuring Billie Eilish:
Visit www.gucci.com to discover more.