Luxury and Animation: The New Era of Communication?
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Passionate about audiovisual and fashion, I am always delighted when these two arts unite their creativity. Recently, we have seen hand-drawn illustrations and animation elevate the creations of fashion houses. Whether it’s Dior Beauty, with the new campaign “The Story of A Miss” for its iconic fragrance, or through the new design of the Hermès website, swapping product photos for illustrations… Fashion is also reconnecting with the analogue to rethink its communication, combining luxury and animation.
When luxury and animation replace AI with true creativity
Since the beginning of the year, the trend of returning to an analogue lifestyle has redefined our habits as well as the content on social media. Highlighting disconnected activities, including hobbies and crafts, there is an increasing appreciation for handmade items and their slower processes.
Restoring value to the work of artists, their vision, and their techniques, is a breath of fresh air at a time when the development of AI aims, conversely, for speed and the creation of campaigns and visuals generated in just a couple of clicks.
Like Chanel and Bvlgari, which recently used the blend of animation and live-action images to communicate about their fashion shows, collections, or hotels, other houses are also exploring the magic of drawing to rethink their brand universe.
“The Story of A Miss” the new Dior Beauty campaign merging luxury and animation
While some brands integrate drawing in touches into their universe, others adopt it 100%. This is the case, for example, with Dior Beauty, which produced a new animated campaign featuring the house’s iconic fragrance, Miss Dior.
Designed by the studio Remembers, known for the animated film Arco co-produced by Natalie Portman, the advertisement, named “The Story of A Miss”, takes us into a poetic and floral universe celebrating the legacy of the Miss Dior fragrance created in 1947.
The drawing style, with a traditional look reminiscent of animations, and its 2D animation, combining static backgrounds with delicately moving elements, evoke a certain nostalgia and a powdery spirit that perfectly reflect the essence of the fragrance.
A blend of influences that takes us back to childhood and resonates with other collaborations between luxury and animation, such as those created between the Ghibli studio and LOEWE. Moreover, the Parisian studio behind the new Dior Beauty advertisement has also previously created several animated capsules for Chanel and Hermès.
Other brands have also embraced the trend of animation for their communication, such as LOEWE Perfumes and Bvlgari last May for its partnership with the International Art Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia.
The new advertising campaign from Dior Beauty, showcasing the skills of copywriters, art directors, illustrators, animators, and other creatives who brought this universe to life, highlights the importance of the link between fashion and film, and especially how the latter asserts itself over time.
Indeed, as the House of Dior and cinema have been intimately linked for many years, we may be witnessing the beginning of a new creative chapter. Recently, I read an interview with Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director at Dior, sharing his desire to open up new possibilities for the house, mentioning cinema. Therefore, to see the beauty/fragrance branch of the house take the direction of animation for this campaign could, I hope, inspire other campaigns or projects blending the two arts.
Other houses have also taken the plunge into not only their couture tailoring but also into audiovisual production, like Saint Laurent.
Reimagined product photography in drawing form at Hermès
Some houses have illustration in their DNA. This is the case, for example, with Hermès, which over the years has highlighted numerous artists who have illustrated and animated their products. This applies to their Instagram content, campaigns, and website design.
Indeed, the house recently allowed Sarah Martinon’s imagination to bring life and color to its website, through unique styled visuals animated by Armand Beraud/Salut La Compagnie. And beyond the visuals for the homepage and other headers, the illustrator has also reimagined product photography in illustration form!
Is human creativity stronger than the speed of AI?
As a creative myself, the rise of AI brings a lot of concerns about the future of our professions. However, seeing such important and influential brands highlight creative profiles and shine a light on these arts and their processes gives hope and warms the heart!
Indeed, the quest for a return to essentials and a more analogue lifestyle is reflected across all industries.
