On occasion of Gucci’s new Pre-Fall 2019 collection, the Italian house is launching a new limited-edition publication, Gucci by Harmony Korine, illustrated with photographs by the American film director, artist and screenwriter, unveiling the designs by the Italian creative director Alessandro Michele. It features demon dogs, creepy floating spirits and some pretty disturbing colour inversions. Korine shot the images of the collection at two UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites, Pompei and the Herculaneum ruins.
This new project in collaboration with Harmony Korine continues with Gucci's commitment to promoting artistic and cultural heritage around the world. The fashion house teamed with the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities so as to offer an insight into the impressive ancient cities of Herculanum and Pompeii in the region of Campanie, in the south of Italy, while presenting their new Pre-Fall 2019 collection. “I am honored to present my collaboration with Gucci with this Art Book. Working with Alessandro Michele was such a great experience”, Korine says. “It was a chance to shoot in historic places such as the ancient towns of Ercolano and Pompei, which are so inspiring. The special atmosphere made it a unique experience.”
The American director shot and also illustrated, cropped and distorted the images for the limited-edition book. It is published with a selection of several covers, drawn by Korine, and with different coloured borders on the paper of the inner pages. The spines of the different book versions are designed to recreate an image when displayed together. Moreover, each book comes in a special case, also decorated with Korine photographs. Gucci by Harmony Korine will be distributed in early June by the London independent publisher Idea Books. The book will also be available at Gucci Garden in Florence and at Gucci Wooster Bookstore in New York.
Gucci’s special attention to the world of art and culture resulted in restoration and conservation activities in partnership with prestigious institutions, including New York’s Dia-Art Foundation, London’s Westminster Abbey, Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the Sicilian archaeological park of Selinunte and Rome’s Tarpeian Rock.