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Gucci are far more than a luxury fashion house. While the Italian label, first established in 1921, has continued to spark the interest and imagination of a wide audience of style lovers, the trailblazer in its industry – like many others – is looking to do more than create the next cult item. Following up on its ‘Equilibrium’ project – a new portal designed to connect people with environmental issues and new models of sustainability – Gucci is petitioning for social change.
Announcing the initiative via its social media this week, ‘Gucci Changemakers’ will be helmed by Harlem fashion icon and regular collaborator Dapper Dan. Council members assisting in the movement also include musician Will.i.am, UCLA professor Eric Avila and activist/writer Micheala Angela Davis among others.
From this council, a Gucci Changemakers fund will be established and will see a $5 million USD donation shared across non-profit programs aimed at elevating and assisting coloured communities across the United States. This generous contribution will then be followed by a $1.5 million USD scholarship program, created to promote diversity among students interested in entering the fashion industry. Involving much of the Gucci staff, 18,000 workers will also be required to attend a paid four-day volunteering initiative centred on either equality, refugee support, climate change, or education.
“I believe in dialogue, building bridges and taking quick action,” said Marco Bizzarri, Gucci President and CEO. “This is why we started working immediately on the long-term infrastructure at Gucci to address our shortcomings. And now through our Changemakers program, we will invest important resources to unify and strengthen our communities across North America, with a focus on programs that will impact youth and the African-American community.”
