James Scully, one of the most important casting directors in the industry, is making headlines this week. He slammed Gucci for its lack of diversity, stating at Business of Fashion’s VOICES convention that they deserve “…two thumbs down…” in that department. His speech was a call to action to other leaders in fashion to end the discrimination and bullying in fashion that he calls “sadistic”. Scully is most noteworthy for advocating for diversity in the fashion world. However, Scully says that Gucci’s next campaign “…has the potential to be an amazing game changer.”
Last week via Instagram, the revered brand released several teasers that alluded to casting candidates for their new Gucci Pre-fall 2017 campaign. In all nine teasers, each model was black. The models were all asked questions about themselves. In addition, all the questions were rather playful. In this video, 20 year old Franck is asked to dance for the camera. “I dance Afro Beat, Afro House, Jerk, Turfing… a mix of everything.” he says, smiling.
It seems like Gucci is going to make a serious statement. We all know how hard it is to find diverse representation in media. From film, television, art, and fashion, it sometimes seems that people of color are forgotten. Although ignored minorities try to make a space for themselves, like on Instagram, or with their own brands, it is unfair for major companies to overlook so many groups that make huge contributions to industries. Because of this, Gucci is hopefully making an effort to change their ways with their next line.
Due to its unique casting, Gucci’s all Black Pre-Fall 2017 Campaign will be a shock to the fashion world. If the rumors pan out to be true, it will definitely captivate fashion lovers. What do you think about this campaign? How should designers go about ensuring diversity is reflected in their brand? Either way, we’re excited for these models to show off their talents!
