Cast your mind back to April, when Gucci and Balenciaga broke the internet by announcing their joint ‘hacker project’ – a display of logomania released as a co-branded collection. Back then, reactions were mixed: the iconic Gucci logo on Gvasalia’s unusual silhouettes seemed to create as much hype as it did hate, but now the capsule has officially dropped – just in time for Christmas.
The project, no doubt orchestrated as a result of the two brands’ being under parent company Kering, is described as “an exploration on ideas of authenticity and appropriation within the fashion industry”. Here, the two brands poke fun at the onslaught of dupes and fakes that their brands have birthed, reclaiming the ‘fake’ aesthetic of slightly-off logos and putting it on the runway.
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Within the collection, classic Gucci and Balenciaga silhouettes and codes are combined to create something new. Highlights include a Balenciaga ‘hacking’ of Gucci’s iconic GG monogram, which now appears as a double B logo. This is splashed over puffer jackets, caps and even socks. Elsewhere, a graffiti aesthetic is adopted, reinforcing the message of a complete brand takeover with the slogan “This Is Not a Gucci Bag” scrawled on, you guessed it, a Gucci bag.
The two labels’ logos sit side by side on a crystal-encrusted hourglass suit, whilst the collection also hails the return of Balenciaga’s divisive Triple S silhouette. For the project, the chunky sneaker arrives in two colorways, in a nod to their notoriety and endurance. Continuing the theme of the Hacker Project, each house is selling the items more commonly associated with the other brand. That is, the Gucci web store offers items in Balenciaga’s floral print along with the Triple S’s and technical jackets. Conversely, Balenciaga’s site is selling the “This Is Not a Gucci Bag” accessories, as well as their flipped GG logo.
Somewhat predictably, resellers are running wild, with the ‘hacked’ hourglass bag from the drop already popping up on eBay for over £5830 / US $7840. Unfortunately, it looks like these resell prices are only going to go up as time goes on. You may have to beat the bots if you want to cop, but you can browse the whole collection via the Gucci and Balenciaga websites.
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