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.
“I am honored to be part of Gucci’s evolution in rethinking tradition”
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.
