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The Gucci x Balenciaga Collab: Everything You Need to Know About the Hacker Project

A Woman Wearing A Bag from the Gucci x Balenciaga Collab

In 2021, a high fashion collaboration of epic proportions took place when power houses Gucci and Balenciaga teamed up for what is referred to as The Hacker project. The project was announced in April of 2021 and debuted in 74 physical retail spaces worldwide in November of that year. The Gucci x Balenciaga collab took the fashion industry by storm, opening up dialogue regarding authenticity and inspiration. 

What is the Hacker Project?

The Hacker Project was initiated by Balenciaga’s creative director Demna Gvasalia and Gucci’s Alessandro Michele. The Gucci x Balenciaga collab brought two iconic fashion houses together. News media, fashion industry peers and fashion bloggers had a heyday with the attention both brands stirred up with the creation of The Hacker Project. Imagine taking the strengths of two well-known and respected brands to create a collection that would feature Gucci x Balenciaga emblems.  

Gucci described the Hacker project as “Ideas from a hybrid universe, while Exploring ideas of authenticity and appropriation, Gucci and Balenciaga motifs merge to create new interpretations of signature pieces .

Gvasalia explained the collaboration via The Hacker Project podcast: “Of course, brands collaborate and do things together. But first of all, on this kind of level of global brands doing something together…The difference between a collaboration-which (has been) abused and used by the industry for 10 years of so, I mean, it’s lost its interest there-but this is more like okay, carte blanche: you do what you want. It’s almost like legal appropriation.” He went on to add, “Everybody plays with everybody’s codes; people also play with our codes, but nobody has the guts to assume it.” And, “the whole industry is about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell;’ we pretend it never happens but it is like that.&rdquo

Gucci x Balenciaga collab reactions

In the fashion industry, it has been heralded for years to be original, to have your own style and trademark elements included in the design of fashion pieces. Balenciaga is known for avant-garde and bold, more advanced structural pieces, while having revolutionized the niche of women’s fashion. Gucci is known for their retro, feminine styled handbags and leather goods. Balenciaga pieces were inspired by Gucci’s aesthetic with cross-branded ready-to-wear accessories, bags and clothing items. With the Hacker Project collaboration, most of the items involved exchanging the double-G monogram with a double-B, a confusing yet somehow perfect marriage of design elements. 

The most talked about piece from the collection was the Gucci x Balenciaga large tote bag spray-painted with the words “This Is Not A Gucci Bag , vandalized by Balenciaga’s Gvasalia. The tote is designed with the combination of Balenciaga and Gucci, featuring the print and monogram co-branding throughout the bag. The pattern on the tote itself was not patterned with the usual Gucci G’s but rather with Balenciaga B’s. The metal clasp on the bag is identical to that of a Gucci bag, except for the engraving that reads “Balenciaga.” Despite this being a limited edition collaboration, you can still purchase pieces from the collection with Buyma. 

Buyma is a luxury reseller of authentic and never before worn fashion items. If you have ever wanted to own a high fashion piece at a discounted price, bookmark Buyma. Shopping at Buyma makes purchasing high end items more accessible to everyone who is passionate about fashion. Each piece allowed into inventory for resale on Buyma is brand new and authentic and actively monitored. In addition, Buyma works with a third-party luxury authentication service to approve authenticity. Sellers are required to provide an authenticity tag, guarantee card or receipt for every item. 

When it comes to Balenciaga bags, the interior label of the bag gives insight about the authenticity and age of the bag. Some labels are metal nameplates, while others are leather. The style number of the bag is listed on the front or the back of the label. Other features to look for include a magnetic closure. Shop confidently on Buyma knowing that the pieces are authentic and in excellent condition. 

Is the Hacker Project limited edition?

As previously mentioned, The Hacker Project collection is limited edition. However, pieces from The Hacker Project still available on Buyma include the Small hourglass bag, the Triple S Beige sneaker, the medium neo classic bag and the maxi gg print silk shawl, to name a few. Inventory is constantly changing so be sure to check often or secure your purchase by going online now for availability. 

Now that Gucci and Balenciaga have set the tone for unconventional marketing, don’t be surprised to see more competitors collaborating and sharing the stage with a collaborative design effort. The Gucci x Balenciaga collab was a moment of time that fashionistas and news media will be talking about for years to come. The result of this collaboration was inspiration and a trend that could soon become more commonplace. So, who will it be next? It will be entertaining to witness this collaboration inspiring other fashion brands to do the same. 

If you want to own one of these pieces that could become an iconic staple, Buyma is a reliable option for buying authentic, never before worn fashion items. Get started on your collection today and click to check out Buyma’s Hacker Project pieces available. As an intense lover of fashion, there is nothing more satisfying than owning a piece of fashion history that tells a story and the Gucci x Balenciaga collab will be referenced for years to come. 

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