With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is in the air, and Gucci is spreading it the best way they know how — through a story of fantasy and enchantment. The luxury Italian fashion house has collaborated with Los Angeles-based visual artist Ariana Papademetropoulos known for exploring the psychological effects of interiors and domestic spaces, to create a limited-edition zine called A Love Story Presented by Gucci.
The zine plays into nostalgia (we all know how much Alessandro Michele loves a nostalgic moment) in a low-tech graphic novella format. The story is brought to life through a series of collages inspired by a ’60s surrealist pop style. Offered in both digital and print versions, the zine tells a story of a captured tiny fairy, played by Papademetropoulos, as she searches for a love her own size with the help of a hero, interpreted by a friend and fellow female artist Isabelle Albuquerque. The moral of the tale centers around values and ideals — and the fairy’s journey to find her true love becomes a reminder that love conquers all differences.
Gucci’s newly launched Valentine’s Day 2022 collection designed by Michele makes an appearance throughout the fairytale love story. Naturally, with it being the labels Valentine’s Day collection, love takes center stage throughout the range featuring newly designed geometrical and multi-faceted heart-shaped chain bags, as well as ones recalling classic popcorn cartons (another nod at nostalgia), all with the word “LOVE” printed atop the iconic heritage motif.
Want to see how the story ends? The zine is available online at lovestory.gucci.com. A limited print version is also available at the Gucci Garden bookstore in Florence and the Gucci Wooster location in N.Y.C. starting on February 10, just in time for you to cuddle up and read with your special someone on Valentine’s Day.
