Opinion / Gucci banned fur and put men in lipstick – now the gender-fluid, sustainable MX Project sets new standards for Gen Z-friendly luxury fashion

Jul 28 , 2020

Gender fluid, sustainable, Gen Z-friendly – Gucci is setting a new standard for the luxury fashion industry. Photo: Gucci

Bold brands like Gucci and Tesla inspire younger customers by overturning norms – embracing genderless designs and ethical processes, the Italian luxury house remains relevant at the forefront of fashion, sidestepping the risk of obsolescence haunting heritage brands

This story is part of STYLE's Inside Luxury column

In a recent masterclass at the headquarters of an iconic luxury brand, I asked all the participants to name their favourite luxury label – apart from the brand they work for. The answer that most of the top managers in the room gave was, of course, Gucci. When I asked them why, the answer that came up most was its ability to change, influence and innovate.

Brands that grow strongly and become trend and pacesetters are typically bold, nonconformist, take risks and set new standards

I have been reflecting a lot about these words and think that they are apt advice for luxury brands: you either have the power to inspire your customers or you are not creating value. No inspiration equals no value. And the inspiration is driven by being perceived as a change agent, an influencer and an innovator.

In fact, when we analyse luxury brands that failed in the marketplace, one of the main shortcomings is their inability to do exactly that: they were unable to evoke inspiration, they were stuck in the past, did not take risks and got dusted. On the contrary, brands that grow strongly and become trend and pacesetters are typically bold, nonconformist, take risks and set new standards.

In the same way that Tesla is disrupting the car industry, Gucci has been reshaping the fashion sector. Gucci became a front runner in sustainability when it took the bold move to ban all fur items from its collections to set the tone. Alessandro Michele’s past campaigns and collections celebrated the beauty of individuality, defying norms in showing men using lipstick, actively embracing diversity and inclusiveness – going much further than practically all other luxury brands.