Renaissance revival: Ferragamo, StreetEasy and Lidl lead the way
Late last year, luxury fashion house Ferragamo ignited a Renaissance trend with its AW23 campaign, which harked back to its Italian roots by incorporating iconic Renaissance masterpieces.
Against the backdrop of timeless works from the 15th and 16th centuries, Ferragamo showcased its latest collection, photographed by Tyler Mitchell in collaboration with the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Maximilian Davis, Ferragamo's new creative director, emphasised the brand's intrinsic connection to Florence, stating: "The Renaissance is hardwired into Florence, and Florence is hardwired into Ferragamo."
Lidl's Bottlecelli
Albeit less glamorous in its artistic bent, Lidl also recently embarked on its own Renaissance-inspired venture. In Glasgow, a majestic 25-foot mural dubbed 'Bottlecelli' emerged, crafted from over 30,000 recycled bottle caps.
Inspired by Botticelli's iconic 'Birth of Venus,' the mural serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of recycling and reducing plastic pollution. Lidl's innovative approach not only promotes sustainability but also celebrates art in unexpected places.
Let The Journey Begin with StreetEasy
Meanwhile, StreetEasy, a prominent New York real estate search engine, has collaborated with creative agency Mother on a campaign that mirrors the emotional journey of home buying in the city through Renaissance-inspired visuals.
Titled "Let The Journey Begin," the campaign captures the highs and lows of the home buying process, reminiscent of the intricate details and dramatic lighting characteristic of Renaissance paintings.
By juxtaposing timeless aesthetics with contemporary scenarios unique to New York City, StreetEasy's campaign is designed to resonate with the city's residents on an emotional level, and its use of Renaissance art is both witty and undeniably beautiful.
Embedded within the campaign are seven pivotal moments representing the home buying journey, from lease renewals to the exhilarating feeling of becoming a homeowner. These visuals, filled with Easter eggs familiar to New Yorkers, reflect StreetEasy's understanding of the city's real estate landscape. To ensure maximum impact, the campaign will be rolled out across various digital and physical platforms, reaching New Yorkers where they live, work, and commute.
As Ferragamo, Lidl, and StreetEasy lead this Renaissance revival, they not only showcase their creativity and ingenuity but also remind us of the enduring influence of art across diverse industries. By intertwining commerce with culture, these brands invite consumers to engage with their products and services in a meaningful and memorable way, fostering a renewed appreciation for the timeless beauty of the Renaissance era.
But why the Renaissance, and why now?
A popular meme doing the rounds recently amusingly highlighted a trend in men thinking about Ancient Rome everyday.
And, the aforementioned campaigns are just a few of the creative works scattering the X-verse that draw on Renaissance art.
So is there something in the air?
Ancient Rome inspired the 14th Century Renaissance, ushering in a remarkable period of European cultural, artistic, political, and economic “rebirth” that followed the Middle Ages. The period was inspired by a variety of cultural factors with synergy to 2024’s Renaissance…er… Renaissance.
During this time, a cultural movement called humanism gained momentum in Italy, emphasising that man was the centre of his own universe. In the age of AI, perhaps as a culture we’re keen to reassert the dominance of humanity over the artificial—although an irony has to be noted that many of the Renaissance inspired art on the internet of late was made with the aid of AI.
Perhaps there’s also an urge to emerge from our own Dark Age – this time typified by divisive politics, high inflation, an energy crisis and austerity.
Maybe a high aspiration for a handful of beloved brands, but it does seem that the culture is longing for a moment where we all come together creatively. Suffice to say, there’s no better website to document the new golden age than the one you’re reading right now.
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