Gucci x The North Face

The outdoors can make you feel a lot of things, but glamorous usually isn’t one of them. There’s dirt in your hair, bugs in your breathing space, and crumbs in your pocket from a half-eaten granola bar. 

But Gucci and The North Face make the outdoors seem like a magical fairyland. Their collaboration involves three chapters that are so aesthetically pleasing, they make even self-identified “indoor kids” want to get out into nature. 

The first chapter arrived at the perfect time. In the middle of the pandemic, when we were all cooped up inside, the brands released a collection of 70's-inspired outdoor clothing and gear, including colorful windbreakers, vintage-style hiking boots, and Gucci-branded tents. 

They also released a campaign video that captured the simple joy of going camping with friends, with models frolicking along the sunny trails without a care in the world. To reinforce the vintage theme, the video was set to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising,” a song that makes everyone nostalgic — even those who didn’t grow up in the 70’s. 

While this chapter succeeded in celebrating the joy of nature, some may question whether it detracted from the ruggedness that The North Face is known for. Their next chapter eased all worries: shot in the unforgiving tundra of Iceland, this collection was made for the hard-core adventurers.

In the campaign video, we see models exploring the frosty mountains wearing printed puffer coats, bright orange snow boots, and Gucci handbags that somehow don’t look out of place. The video is set to a dramatic soundtrack like the ones in Game of Thrones — it romanticizes survivalist camping to such an extent that you want to buy a foraging guide and learn how to build a fire.  

If you thought this collaboration couldn’t get any better, the third chapter will prove you wrong. The brands revisited their 70’s theme, but this time, they went less Creedence Clearwater Revival and more Grateful Dead. The collection includes jackets, track suits, and fanny packs with psychedelic prints that inspire you to take a long strange trip and enjoy every second of it.  

All of these chapters embody what we love most about the outdoors: it’s magical, it’s rugged, and it’s the perfect place to wander and discover oneself. 

The North Face could not have captured these feelings without Gucci‘s imagination and over-the-top aesthetics. Likewise, there’s little chance that Gucci would’ve been able to create an authentic outdoorsy spirit without the authority of The North Face.

Together, these brands make us excited to go outside. Because what’s even better than summiting a mountain is the idea of doing it in a really cool outfit.