All About Flora

I was watching the morning news when I saw this commercial.




It's model Abbey Lee K. as the face of Gucci's new fragrance called Flora. To see Abbey is a breath of fresh air compared to the already prominent goddesses today like Natasha P, Lily D and co. The video was directed by Chris Cunningham. Sure it was nice that she bagged a commercial but more than that, I just can't resist to make a reference to the iconic Flora (Primavera).

My trendspotting eyes have been set on Gucci since they released their fall 2008 ad campaign last year. Included in the campaign were clearly reenacted scenes from the painting (Primavera). It was shot by Vinoodh Matadin and Inez van Lamsweerde and features the fall collection inspired by russian art.




gucci ad campaign fall 08


the three graces of Primavera

It is obvious that Gucci extracted their inspirations from the primavera in both instances, with the perfume and the ad campaign. The photos above show the three girls eniko and abbey making the gesture which was similar to the three graces while Lily engages on the viewer. The three graces is a popular group of figures during the renaissance and also one of the characters included in the painting.

Contrary to the elegantly rendered transparency as well as the graceful seduction that the three graces seem to depict, the photo expresses literally an awkward campy spirit more like a brood of hippies plus the dismal background. I actually liked this collection because it was a daring one from Frida Giannini. But maybe not this particular rendition of the three graces. I suppose the fact that its a fall collection and 'la primavera' which is italian for Spring makes a satirical contrast to the pictures.


Flora of Primavera

Going back to Flora (not Abbey Lee but the figure above), she is also a character from the Primavera. The "La Primavera" was painted by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli and was suspectedly made as a wedding present. It is probably considered as one of the critically analyzed masterpieces not really because of the ambiguity of the figures rather the cohesive message that all of the figures express. I have to say my favorite character would be Flora and second would be Mercury. Why Flora? Because Flora is like the transformation from an ugly duckling turned swan. What I'm showing here is roughly a portion only of the painting, but if you view the entire painting, you will see next to Flora on the right is Chloris. Chloris is like the old Flora before she got raped by Zephy (the wind god). Together, the marriage between Zephyr and Chloris yields to a beautiful Flora.

At least, that's how it's interpreted by the scholars and I know the not-so-scholarly me is making such a narrow reasoning. I don't care. I love Flora. And Gucci likes her too, maybe that's why they created a saga from their ad campaign shoots and made a perfume named after my favorite art muse: Flora.

I wouldn't be surprised if they hire Gareth Neff , perhaps the only guy that can emasculate Michelangelo's beautiful David and make him Mercury to complete all the characters from the painting.

*Primavera photos from Wikipedia*

21st Century Flora

designer Frida Giannini as 21st Century Flora

Just having fun with this caricature, Frida Giannini is the 21st Century Flora. She's Italian and I love her Frida pants!






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2 comments:

Jenna said...

lol...she's so cute in ur caricature

brutusX said...

her shoes are so gucci too