Luxury fashion house Gucci announces the launch of its latest iteration of the iconic Horsebit 1955 bag, this time crafted in Demetra, an animal-free alternative material that Gucci has developed in-house.
Developed over two years by Gucci’s team of technicians and artisans, Demetra is composed of 75% plant-derived raw materials, including bio-based polyurethane made from non-GMO wheat and corn, plant-based viscose, and wood pulp.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I am honored to be part of Gucci’s evolution in rethinking tradition”[/perfectpullquote]
This marks the first time that Gucci has used the Demetra material to recreate one of its bags, and the launch is accompanied by a campaign featuring musician Billie Eilish. Eilish, known for her commitment to a vegan lifestyle, told Vogue, “I am honored to be part of Gucci’s evolution in rethinking tradition. It’s a new understanding, and one that isn’t afraid to evolve in a new direction, that truly matters to me.”
Eilish has also partnered with other fashion brands such as Nike, helping the company redesign its Air Force 1 sneakers using more sustainable materials.
Growing trend in sustainable fashion
Gucci’s development of Demetra echoes a growing trend in the fashion industry, with several brands and startups working to develop animal-free alternatives to leather. VitroLabs, backed by environmental advocate Leonardo DiCaprio, is working on cultured leather grown from cell samples. US-based biomaterials startup GOZEN recently announced an investment to scale up the production of LUNAFORM, a vegan and plastic-free biomaterial made by microorganisms. Additionally, biomaterials innovator MycoWorks recently opened a commercial-scale mycelium production plant, harnessing this sustainable and renewable resource to create luxury animal-free leather.
As part of the bag’s launch, Gucci has partnered with Billie Eilish to create a campaign featuring cinematic videos set to Eilish’s song, “What Was I Made For?”. Additionally, Gucci has made a donation to Support+Feed, a non-profit organization founded by Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird. Support+Feed focuses on addressing food insecurity and climate issues by promoting plant-based food systems.
