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On Monday, March 1, Gucci announced a partnership with Detroit designer Tommey Walker Jr’s label, Detroit Vs. Everybody, to bring to life a capsule T-shirt collection where proceeds will benefit non-profit organisations. Per the release, “the collaboration uses Gucci’s fabric and raw materials and the Vs. Everybody graphic to underscore the like minded creative vision and brand ideals that the House and Tommey Walker’s label are intrinsically known for.”
Walker founded his label in 2012 to “to combat the media’s continual bashing and lack of cultural recognition for the place that has contributed so much to the world, DVE has become a rally cry for the city of Detroit,” the brand’s website reads. “It is more than just a statement specifically about the city of Detroit, founded by an authentic Detroiter, creating in Detroit.”
“My partnership with Gucci is a dream come true, not just for me and my team, but also for celebrating the city of Detroit’s cultural richness and innovation,” Walker said in a press release announcing the collaboration. “I’ve long admired the creative genius that is Alessandro Michele and am honored and humbled that Gucci respects my work. Detroit Vs. Everybody and Gucci share the same unifying ethos, to bring people together for a greater good and to transform a feeling into a cultural moment.”
Walker’s brand label was redesigned to highlight and celebrate the Gucci Changemakers’ 11 US focus cities (first identified in 2019 for the launch of the program, which includes Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C). In its third year, Gucci Changemakers provides donations to non-profits within the 11 cities which support social change and help to build strong connections and opportunities within communities of colour. When Gucci launched its Changemakers initiative two years ago, its aim was to make it clear that it’s doubling down on its commitment to diversity with a global program to support industry change.
The Gucci Detroit Vs. Everybody shirts will be available (in limited quantities) for $390 in each of Gucci’s flagship boutiques in the 11 US Changemaker cities and on Gucci.com in the United States beginning today, March 1. Gucci will also release a special-edition Gucci Vs. Everybody T-shirt exclusively in Detroit at the Troy Somerset Collection Gucci store.
