Review of Gucci Vault Summer 2023 Ad Campaign by Photographer Max Siedentopf
Gucci Vault celebrates the vibrance of summer and the freedom of summer dressing with a new campaign in celebration of its latest multi-part collaborative collection. The campaign was shot and directed by Max Siedentopf.
The latest endeavor from Gucci Vault, the brand’s experimental concept store, continues the multi-collaboration approach first established for the winter season. Once again, the house has invited eight brands to enter the Gucci extended universe and create unique capsule collections that will be available exclusively through the Vault platform.
Agua by Agua Bendita offers women’s beachwear and dresses hand-embroidered by Colombian artisans with native plants of Italy and the brand’s home country. Emerging New York designer Connor McKnight puts forth a range of ready-to-wear for men inspired by vintage outdoor attire. Parisian menswear brand Husbands delivers a complete selection of sartorial essentials marked by timeless formal tailoring. A collection of minaudière clutch bags by Judith Leiber Couture includes playful reproductions of the brand’s highly collectible archival designs. Maison Michel proposes a selection of expertly crafted hats – both timeless and playful – for women and men. Prounis Jewelry presents statement pieces crafted from 22-karat gold and responsibly sourced South Sea pearls, tourmaline, emeralds, and other gemstones. Rowing Blazers introduces an array of signature rugby shirts alongside casual and elevated styles for prep-minded fellas. Joining the Vault line-up for the second consecutive season, Vans continues to surprise with its iconic silhouettes imagined in vibrant new colors and prints.
Siedentopf’s campaign does a great job of honoring the eclecticism of these distinct perspectives while uniting them into one sumptuous summer fantasy. Following an exuberant cast of characters on a lakeside getaway, the imagery rewrites familiar tropes of Hollywood glamor, balancing elegant formalism with witty nonchalance across the excellently composed and colored snapshots.
The short film deploys a brilliant range of imaginative cinematographic ideas: a shot from inside a stretching slinky, reverse playback that makes a character un-fall into a pool, tricky drone footage, rhythmic doubling and mirror effects. It’s an indulgent feast for the senses, punctuated all the way by the myriad personalities of the multifaceted collection.
The best campaign so far of the interim period between Alessandro Michele and Sabato De Sarno, the lush and eclectic summertime outing is a powerful reassertion of Gucci’s uncanny ability to draw any character or aesthetic into its own distinctive world.
Photographer | Max Siedentopf