Why the Gucci Gang needs to be disbanded!

One minute it’s in and the next it’s out and so trends come and go. Gucci has been reigning supreme for the last year but it may finally be time to give it a rest.

Gucci saw a resurgence in popularity thanks to the new Creative Director Alessandro Michele who turned the whole brand upside down and a variety of innovative point of reference for his collections most notably the inclusion of Harlem legend, Dapper Dan.

The Re-birth of Gucci

Back in May 2017, Alessandro Michele found himself the subject of industry gossip as eagle-eyed fashion aficionados noticed a look Michele sent down the runway looked naggingly familiar.

While showing Gucci’s Resort 2018 collection, Michele sent a jacket down the runway; a brown bomber with ballooning sleeves done up in brown-and-tan Gucci G’s. The piece looked a lot like one made by Dapper Dan in the ‘80s.

Before the uproar grew legs, Alessandro and Dapper Dan confirmed a partnership that brought together high-end luxury and the cool streets of Harlem. The collaboration gave Gucci street cred and they gained new respect and an increased following. Gucci was officially ‘for the culture’. Alessandro succeeds in injecting pop culture into the brand, therefore, making it relevant but the Gucci juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down.

Why Gucci?

Fast forward a few months and Gucci is the body and feet of everybody worth their salt. From Beyonce to French Montana, Kevin Hart, Wizkid, Davido, Toke Makinwa and most recently Tiwa Savage.

The label has become somewhat of a status symbol not only because of the hefty price tags attached but wearing the label puts the wearer in an exclusive club popularly known as the ‘Gucci Gang’, thanks to rapper Lil Pump.

People purchase designer goods for a variety of reasons, among them because they convey a sense of status, wealth, and exclusivity.

These purchases lead others to make rapid inferences about the character of the purchaser (e.g., successful, arrogant, rich etc). We understand the psychology behind buying luxury goods but in the curious case of Gucci, does the overexposure decrease the overall value of the brand?

Overkill

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When does it become too much? The monogrammed clothing is hard to miss and we must draw a line between making a statement and flogging a dead horse. From headbands right down to the shoes, celebrities are stepping out in all Gucci outfits but what was once a trend has now become overkill.

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Gucci is fast entering territory that Versace occupied circa 2012 when it was the label ‘du jour’. Everyone from bloggers to rappers was wearing Versace. Rapper, Tyga did a song in homage to the Italian label, Meek Mill also did. Of course how could we forget Migos who broke through with 'Versace'. And if you thought that was enough, Drake jumped on the remix to make it bigger. But where is Versace now? The brand was forced to retreat and rebrand to stop it suffering the same fate as Burberry’s check.

In 2002, the world of Burberry clashed with the world of Hip-Hop. When rapper Cam'ron raised his feet to show his Burberry timberlands, Hip-Hop fell in love with a new style.

But like most trends, it burned too fast. Burberry is still searching to regain its cool factor.

End of Gucci Gang?

They say all publicity is good publicity but that is not necessarily the case. With fashion brands, they have to tow the line of being relevant without being obnoxious. Human beings are fickle and over-saturation can signal the end of a brand.

In the eyes of many, ‘luxury’ and ‘exclusive’ are synonymous when it comes to brands. A large number of the great luxury brands maintain their status purely because of their exclusivity, ensuring their products are coveted by many and owned by a few through prohibitive pricing.

Despite the pricing, Gucci still manages to come out on top and though their finances must be booming, the future and the longevity of the brand as it may hang in the balance. If Gucci wants to maintain its luxury status, The Gucci Gang must be disbanded!