Gucci invites a set of artists to illustrate its latest bamboo bag

To celebrate the launch of Alessandro Michele’s new Gucci Bamboo 1947 handbag, Gucci has asked nine international creators to create artworks that feature the bamboo handle bag design. “Abstract” photographs, illustrations, paintings and “unexpected” videos have all been created for the digital project, each reinterpreting the bag in a different way.

For the release, artist Nico Ito transported the bag into an “imaginary world”, achieved using soft airbrushing, while graphic novelist and cartoonist at The New Yorker, Everett Glenn, presented a comic-driven work. Elsewhere, artist Samson Bakare contributed a painting and photographer Theo Liu Xiangyu created work “inspired by the cultural heritage of Chinese porcelains and ceramic craftsmanship”.

Other participating creatives include photographers Maddalena Arcelloni, Lou Escobar, Katya Mayer, Cho Gi-Seok, and Suzanne Saroff. The collection of commissioned works is currently available for view on the Gucci site.

Gucci has a long history of reinterpreting classic visual elements of its brand with surprising design and illustrations. In 2020 Gucci redesigned its logo in cursive and a range of artists, including Gabrielle Rosenstein, have illustrated work from Gucci in the past.

According to a release, the new Gucci Bamboo 1947 bag references a previous version of the design, created amidst Italy’s post-war era in which traditional raw materials were difficult to come by; as such, the lightweight and durable bamboo was chosen for the handle of the purse. “Today, the renowned design returns to forge a connection between past, present, and future,” and to represent “Alessandro Michele’s own legacy within Gucci,” states the release.