Is there anything more Hollywood than a TV talk show? Stars collide, seated in front of a live studio audience, laughing with a host they see intermittently every press tour. There’s something aspirational to it, this controlled interaction where the line between banter, friendship, and PR stunt is playfully blurred. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele taps directly into that engineered moment for its Beloved campaign, revealed here for the first time on ELLE.com.
Gucci’s Beloved Line includes just that: its four most beloved handbags to date. Directed by Harmony Korine, the campaign (which we teased last month) places the house’s top performers center stage, literally: Harry Styles, Serena Williams, Dakota Johnson, Diane Keaton, Awkwafina, and Sienna Miller join The Late Late Show host James Corden on a tongue-in-cheek TV set, sharing billing with the Dionysus bag, Gucci Horsebit 1955, GG Marmont, and the Jackie 1961. The star-studded cast comes alive in satirical videos along with screenshot captures interacting with Corden mid-joke and gesturing to their phantom audience.
“We decided to show the concept of ‘Beloved’ in an ironic way,” Michele explains. With handbag investments serve as milestones in most people’s lives, Michele intended to give Gucci’s best-selling products the same star treatment received by the celebrities who typically carry them. “There were two stars: the bag and the actual talent. A game of cross-references between the two great protagonists.”
ELLE.com asked a few of Gucci’s leading ladies to share rapid-fire answers about their closet staples and beloved quarantine memories. Read on for more.
Dakota Johnson
ELLE: What is the most beloved memory you made in the last year?
Dakota Johnson (DK): Kissing Olivia Colman.
ELLE: What is the most beloved item in your closet, and how often do you actually wear it?
DK: A pair of Dr Marten’s boots that I still have from when I was 15. I wore them every day. Now…they are pretty tired looking. I still wear them from time to time, when I’m feeling like a confused, messy teenager.
ELLE: What did you enjoy the most about participating in the Gucci Beloved campaign?
DK: Seeing James and Harmony. I’ve missed seeing people I love.
Awkwafina
ELLE: What is the most beloved memory you made in the last year?
Awkwafina (A): My most beloved memory of this last year was coming back to New York City after the longest I had been away.
ELLE: What is the most beloved item in your closet, and how often do you actually wear it?
A: The most beloved item in my closet (aside from Spanx) is a t-shirt that was custom-made for me on my first tour through Hawaii. I remember it being so cool because they put AWKWAFINA on the back. It was the first shirt I received with that name on it. And ironically, I never wear it in fear that I will spill sriracha on it.
ELLE: What did you enjoy the most about participating in the Gucci Beloved campaign?
A: Being a part of the Gucci Beloved campaign meant the world to me. I was able to work with Harmony Korinne, one of my favourite directors, and was also able to partner with a company that I’ve long since loved.
Serena Williams
ELLE: What is the most beloved memory you made in the last year?
Serena Williams (SW): My most beloved memory from the last year is how much time I’ve been able to spend with my family. I’m usually always on the go, and for the first time in a long time, we were all forced to hit pause, which I think gave us a greater appreciation for what we already had.
ELLE: What is the most beloved item in your closet, and how often do you actually wear it?
SW: The most beloved item in my closet is the body-con dress from my own line, S by Serena. I truly wear it all the time because it is so comfortable that you can go from lounging around the house to a dinner date with a loved one with a simple change of accessories. A classic handbag like the GG Marmont is always a must.
ELLE: What did you enjoy the most about participating in the Gucci Beloved campaign?
SW: There’s something that’s timeless about this campaign. It takes inspiration from our past while appreciating the now and looking ahead to the future. The campaign makes you feel like you have an elegance and strength that has been passed down from icons throughout history.
Sienna Miller
ELLE: What is the most beloved memory you made in the last year?
Sienna Miller (SM): Having my daughter at home felt like a stolen year which I am extremely grateful for.
ELLE: What is the most beloved item in your closet, and how often do you actually wear it?
SM: I have a dress that belonged to my mother; I wore it to my first premiere. I love the idea that we both had endless fun in the same dress. It’s definitely been loved but I hope I can keep it somewhat intact for my daughter to wear one day.
ELLE: What did you enjoy the most about participating in the Gucci Beloved campaign?
SM: Being back with the amazing group of people who work at Gucci. They’re so creative and talented and Harmony is one of the funniest, most genius people to be around. It just never feels like work.
Swipe to see all the photos from the Gucci Beloved Campaign.
