A first look at Gucci’s highly-anticipated “Hacker Project” with Balenciaga

If you've seen Balenciaga’s take on The Hacker Project, then you need to check out Gucci’s version of this blockbuster crossbranded project

By Imran Jalal - 20 Nov 2021

Share this article

The buzziest fashion outing of the year is brought to you by the letters GG and B. GG, as in the shorthand for Gucci‘s monogram that is best immortalised on the Italian house’s GG Supreme canvas.

And the B in question, being the emblem of the French house of Balenciaga that appears as hardware on accessories such as the Hourglass top handle bag or the earrings we saw Dua Lipa wear to the Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards in Washington D.C. recently.

Alessandro Michele incorporates the padded hip suit silhouette that Demna Gvasalia introduced in his debut collection for Balenciaga for The Hacker Project.
Gucci

The two fashion marquees are launching The Hacker Project – it goes beyond a collaboration, they say – in retail spaces worldwide on November 15. Each brand has created its own version of this cross branded effort.

For Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, the Project is like an “alchemical factory of contaminations” and swiping the codes of Balenciaga forms a part of a design arc he has embarked on that sees him experimenting with ideas from cultures, eras and other brands.

Balenciaga’s Hourglass top handle bag is swathed in the GG Supreme canvas.
Gucci

The starting point for Gucci is Demna Gvasalia’s maiden collection for Balenciaga for the Fall/Winter 2016 season. In that monumental debut, Gvasalia reimagined Cristobal’s couture shapes with padded hip suits, off-shoulder anoraks and co-ord fabric boots.

Michele co-opted these silhouettes for The Hacker Project, embellishing them with opulent details like sequins, leather trims and new enlarged versions of the familiar GG motif with all-over contrasting Balenciaga prints.

Gucci describes The Hacker Project as “a place where thefts and explosive reactions happen: a permanent generator of sparkles and unpredictable desires”.
Kevin Tachman

In the accessories department, Balenciaga’s popular Triple S sneakers make an appearance with uppers bearing motifs such as Gucci’s Flora print and a mash-up of the GG Supreme canvas with Balenciaga’s logo.

Bags from Balenciaga such as Hourglass and City receive the Gucci treatment in the form of the GG Supreme canvas, the Flora print and the contrasting green and red colourway of the iconic Gucci webbing. Meanwhile, Gucci’s own bags such as Jackie 1961 and Horsebit 1955 are stamped with the Balenciaga name.

Ready to shop? Browse the collection below.