Q&A: Photographer Gia Coppola on her Gucci journey
This is the kind of exhibition that is worth the detour.
Created by Gucci, in collaboration with A Magazine Curated By, was a psychedelic audio and visual experience unlike any other before.
With the theme "Blind for Love", Gucci produced a trio of exhibitions – in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei – to plunge us into a cabinet of curiosities designed by Dan Thawley.
In each city, Alessandro also collaborated three different female photographers for an extended portfolio for the exhibition. In Taipei, it was an exclusive fashion shoot with Gia Coppola at the Joshua Tree National Park, California.
L'Officiel got an exclusive sit-down with Gia herself to talk about her journey with Gucci right here.
This is not your first collaboration with Gucci. How it all began?
Alessandro Michele invited me to the Gucci Cruise Show in New York last year. It then became normal for my mother and me to invite him to our home when he was in Los Angeles.
When he came to dinner the first time, it was very relaxing and my family and I got to know him better. He's a friend now, and it's always better for him to eat a homemade dish!
What do you like most about his universe?
I find that he never lacks inspiration, he knows how to renew himself. Every time I look at his work I am perplexed, I say "where has he gone to look for it?". Everything he does is surprising and unexpected.
You come from the world of cinema, how do you feel in the world of fashion?
Gucci, for me, is so cinematic, that I feel very comfortable. I don't feel like that with another fashion house. There is something mystical in his clothes and in his whole universe, that he blends so perfectly into this fantastic dream.
What did you want to express through these photos that you exhibit here in Taipei?
The theme of the show was "Blind for Love", and initially I really did not know what that meant. One evening, while I was watching The Truman Show , my roommate came into my room asking if I had ever seen this Peter Weir movie, "Picnic at Hanging Rock". She advised me to look at it, and I was impressed that it was cool.
I began to think about the meaning of this expression, "Blind for Love". The rethinking of a woman's sexuality, through the discovery of oneself, of one's body, through that invisible axis through which all this metamorphosis takes place, and which connects absolutely everything.
When I told Alessandro that this film had transcended me, he confirmed to me that it is one of his favourite films, to the point that each season, he creates a piece inspired by it.
Is the theme of fraternity one that you are comfortable with?
Yes. I think fraternity is reflected in many of my actions because I've always wanted a little sister to my friendship with Rowan.
I really feel the need to share a lot of things with people I meet to talk about art, poetry and cinema. This is what allows me to keep my eyes open to everything around me, to stay anchored in real life, to be interested in many things that are futile (or not) and above all, to remain optimistic.
Your mother did the styling for this shoot. How important was it for you to work with her?
My mother was a costumer, so it was obvious to me because she taught me so much about fashion. She has a unique and really exciting approach to clothing and we are also very close. With her, I do not need to talk because she already knows what I'm thinking.
Also, she's close to Alessandro. So yes, in the end, this project was almost a family story!
You also invited Rowan Blanchard to work with you on this project.
I met her at a party and we immediately felt connected. I find our way of thinking is pretty much the same because of our common interests. It was important for me to involve her in this project, she helped make me become the person I am today and still helps me to become someone better.
This fascination I have for her also lies in the fact that we almost "grew up" together, and sees ourselves as women, with a very different reflection process than men.
What kind of girl were you, at her age?
It was crazy to see Rowan at 15. Her intelligence and open-mindedness is so great for her age. I really felt like a girl without talent when I was her age, in comparison.
I loved reading, discovering new cool bands, but I was pretty rebellious. She is much more responsible than I was.
How important were her poems to accompany your photos?
They are essential because to tell a story through a photo, the discourse must not be too literal, linear or ephemeral. The poems have added a sort of internal narrator to the installation, bringing cohesion and depth.
