This week, Gucci is launching its new collection in a weeklong episodic film directed by Gus Van Sant and Alessandro Michele. But like any film festival, #GucciFest comes with an emerging artists program too. Every day from November 16 to 22, Gucci will be releasing films from emerging brands on its YouTube page. The 15 brands that will be represented span countries and aesthetics: Collina Strada, Ahluwalia, Rui, Gui Rosa, Bianca Saunders, Mowalola, Rave Review, Cormio, Stefan Cooke, JordanLuca, Shanel Campbell, Boramy Viguier, Yueqi Qi, Gareth Wrighton, and Charles de Vilmorin. 

Each day, Vogue Runway will be chronicling the young designers’ films here. 

Til Death Do Us Ride by Gui Rosa

If Gui Rosa’s short film “Til Death Do Us Ride” gives you John Waters vibes, well, that’s sort of the point. Together Rosa and his director, fellow Central Saint Martins grad Harry Freegard, have adapted Waters’s OTT, “pope of trash” style for today through their previous films and roles as muses to fellow Londoners Rottingdean Bazaar. Rosa’s film for #GucciFest is a kitschy road trip that translates the tongue-in-cheek aesthetic of his designs into dialogue and visuals. It’s bizarre, funny, outrageous—six minutes of pure lols! The mood complements Rosa’s garments. An expert knitter and crocheter, he makes vibrant pieces that send up gender norms and fashion traditions. Make special note of his truly wild ruffle creations mid-film—and place some bets on which celebrity wears them first.

Emerald by Rui

Parsons MFA graduate Rui Zhou explores the magical aspect of fashion in her new film, “Emerald.” Written as a parable, the short features a rabbit with an emerald eye as its protagonist. Other animals obsess over the rabbit and its mystical powers, and seeing the effect it has over the animal kingdom, the rabbit aims to bake a cake with an emerald inside to share the beauty with a cast of animal friends. The creatures are played by human models wearing layered bodysuits and tops from Zhou’s collections. “I really like a peaceful world—a very soft, gentle emotion,” Zhou told Vogue earlier this year. The film and her subtle, interlocking pieces send that message. So many bodysuits on the market overtly objectify the body inside them. With subtle metal closures and translucent materials, Zhou’s second skins telegraph tenderness. What a nice emotion for now. 

Joy by Ahluwalia

The London-based designer Priya Ahluwalia was an LVMH Prize finalist in 2020 and has gained international acclaim for her sustainably made designs. In her short film, Ahluwalia brings together British communities that reflect her own, from Nigeria, Jamaica, and India. Directed by Samona Olanipekun, the five-minute short spotlights more than a dozen people in England discussing how their cultures intersect and inform their lives. Ahluwalia’s thoughtful clothes provide a through line between scenes of female boxers and direct-to-camera interviews, offering a wardrobe of upcycled materials that honors her own story as a young woman raised in South London. 

Collina Land by Collina Strada

Hillary Taymour one-upped her spring 2021 video by creating a video game for her latest collection. The interactive platform she created with photographer Charlie Engman and multimedia artist Freeka Tet turns many of Taymour’s favorite models into avatars who navigate a hyperrealistic terrain, collecting points and engaging in live game chats along the way. It’s as psychedelic as any Collina Strada film, giving Taymour’s deadstock and upcycled garments a virtual life. Her vibrant aesthetic and inclusive message pairs nicely with the themes of Gucci’s own films, celebrating individuality, inclusivity, and dressing up—even if you have nowhere to go.