Flora by Gucci: Images from Past and Present

In the latest fragrance Flora by Gucci advertisements the historic Flora print sufaces in a campaign shot by Chris Cunningham in a cornfield in Lativa featuring Australian model Abbey Lee in a butterflylike long silk chiffon gown in the middle of more that 40,000 silk flowers moving in tempo with the wind and a remix of Donna Summer’s hit “I Feel Love.” Inez & Vinoodh photographed Flora’s print advertising visuals while the fagrance launch will be backed by a dedicated Web site for the scent that will go live at the same time as the official introduction of the scent on the market.


The inspiration for the floral motif (and name of the fragance) comes from vintage collections by Gucci in which the big, romantic distinctive patterns of flowers and butterflies were strewn across silks and canvas on scaves and bags respectively.
The Flora bag was actually designed for princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, in 1966. Bags have been at the core of the Gucci brand and as another head of a designer brand (also famous for their bags ~and not only), Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel has said: "'[Bags] make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbors you are doing well. Everyone can afford a luxury handbag". The floral pattern was re-issued years later by Frida Giannini, creative director at Gucci, seduced by its playful brightness and is adorning the 2009 collections and the advetisements attached. Surprisingly, the floral motif is mostly on the clothes and less on the packaging of the new perfume which is quite monochromatic in black and white. “I was in love with the idea of a floral fragrance, and having the idea of naming the perfume Flora, everything was consequential. I wanted to give Flora a new freshness, so I decided to keep the same floral pattern but make it not so literal with all 25 colors, but black and white, more graphic and correct for the project,” said Giannini.


The fragrance developed by Firmenich for Procter & Gamble ~who owns parfums Gucci~ is a sophisticated floral (of course!), aimed at the younger clientele featuring citrus accords, peony, rose, osmanthus, pink pepper, and sandalwood.
The new feminine fragrance is the second Gucci women’s scent, following Gucci by Gucci, created under Giannini’s creative reign at the Florentine fashion house and when comparing the scents, Giannini said Gucci by Gucci channeled the powerful Gucci woman, while Flora addresses a sensual, younger woman. “Flora is lighter, the floral scent of course evokes a younger consumer, and she has a hedonistic, daring side. I don’t want to say that Flora is the daughter of Gucci by Gucci but maybe the younger sister,” Giannini elaborated. “Flora is another side of the multifaceted Gucci woman. “We have a huge space for the development of new scents, and now we are trying to build a new category. I want to re-create an entire panorama of scents under my vision.” Ambitious plans, no doubt!

The Gucci Flora fragrance line includes eau de toilette spray 30 ml. for $52, 50 ml. for $65, and 75 ml. for $90; deodorant, 100 ml. for $35; body lotion, 200 ml. for $45, and shower gel, 200 ml. for $38. The fragrance is set to launch globally in early April but is already available online at Neiman Marcus. (where there is a beautiful picture of the bottle as well)

Pics via Ines Zaikova, iofferbag.com, businessweek.com.