“I’ve always romanticised ’70s fashion,” Dakota Johnson told British Vogue. “The shapes, lines, colours and patterns. But also the vibe of the people wearing the clothes.”
From the unapologetically retro Gucci suiting she chose to attend South by Southwest last March, to the Old Hollywood splendour of her feathered champagne gown (also Gucci) for Vanity Fair's post-Oscars party that same month, the star's nostalgic sensibilities are evident in any number of her red-carpet appearances.
Who better to represent Gucci's newest iteration of one of its most popular bags, the Jackie 1961, than Dakota Johnson? The actor takes over the mantle from countless A-list owners who have owned the bag over the past 60 years, none more significant than the die-hard fan for whom the accessory was eventually renamed: Jacqueline Kennedy.
Gucci's saddle bag, instantly recognisable thanks to its curved half-moon shape and distinctive piston hardware, became a firm favourite of the former First Lady's in the 1970s, and photographs of Jackie flitting around Manhattan with her leather tote in tow quickly propelled it to icon status.
Dakota Johnson, from one enigmatic brunette to another, is the ideal modern muse for this modern take on a house classic. The campaign imagery, shot by British photographer Glen Luchford, echoes the kind of paparazzi snaps that have become so common in modern celebrity culture, but it also documents Mrs. Kennedy Onassis's love affair with the handbag all those decades ago. Instead of Jackie clutching her passport as she exits the airport, her tote tucked under her arm, we find Dakota Johnson en route to the gym with the essentials of the modern It-girl: yoga mat, car keys, water bottle, and a new cobalt-blue version of the Jackie 1961 dangling at her hip.