Gucci’s Short Film: A Glimpse into the Future of Fashion Marketing

Gucci has just unveiled a short film directed by Oscar-winner Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, showcasing looks from its La Famiglia collection. And it’s brilliant, not just as a piece of cinema, but as a statement about where marketing could be heading.

The writing is sharp, the cinematography is beautiful, and it instantly calls to mind John Galliano’s short film for Maison Margiela. It’s the kind of work that makes you stop scrolling and pay attention.

Why does this matter? Because we’re living in a time when everyone is watching Netflix, Prime, Apple TV+. We’re oversubscribed, overstimulated, and above all, craving escapism. Films and series are cultural gravity wells — they pull us in not just with characters and stories, but with aesthetics, moods, and wardrobes.

Think about it: when Stranger Things exploded, brands like Levi’s and Nike moved fast to release capsule collections inspired by the characters. Viewers didn’t just want to watch; they wanted to wear. Clothing became a way of extending the narrative into their own lives.

But Gucci’s new move is different. Instead of waiting for an external production to showcase its designs, it has taken matters in-house. By producing its own cinematic short, Gucci controls the storytelling, the styling, and — crucially — the timeline.

And timing is everything. Fashion moves seasonally, fast. By the time a gifted dress appears in a feature film two years later, it’s already four seasons out of date. With an in-house production, Gucci gets to showcase pieces that are current, available, and instantly shoppable. Viewers don’t have to wait. They can participate in the world Gucci has built right now.

Some might say: why shouldn’t fashion houses leave this kind of storytelling to production companies? Isn’t it a bit… cringe? But I’d argue the opposite. For decades, luxury brands have staged shows and campaigns designed to immerse audiences in a mood, a story, a feeling. A short film is simply the 2025 extension of that same ethos, only now, it’s delivered where the audience already is: on screens, at home, in joggers and slippers, cereal bowl in hand.

If the experiment works, it’s not hard to imagine a future where Gucci, Prada, or Dior launch seasonal films or series, sitting alongside Netflix originals. As print magazines fade from cultural dominance, fashion houses are meeting audiences where they live: streaming platforms.

Gucci’s short film isn’t just a beautiful piece of work; it’s a glimpse of a future where brands stop being background collaborators in cinema, and instead become creators of their own. A future where marketing is less about advertising, more about storytelling. And in that sense, this isn’t just a film launch. It’s a power shift.