Jaden Smith made headlines and ripples in the gender discussion when Louis Vuitton cast him as the face of its SS16 womenswear collection. And now, LV and Jaden aren’t planning on letting the water calm anytime soon. The brand recently debuted the campaign film, The Heroine.
The Bruce Weber film features the young Smith, along with his fellow models captured in the campaign photos. The film heavily focuses on the accessories, from the chained box purses to feathered cuffs, and studded clutches. Jaden ditches the Batman gear for a more free-flowing look, rocking a combination of mesh, leather, and draped skirts. The one-minute video is matched with mystic music as The Heroine cast vibe out on the streets of Tampa.
The film captions the images: “In Tampa, a timeless town on the west coast of Florida, a group of girls takes to the street with the haughty insouciance of an idealistic age when the world holds nothing but the promise of conquest. Among them are Jaden Smith, the young hero of a new generation that worships stylistic freedom.”
Indeed, Jaden Smith has always demonstrated his own stylistic freedom, pairing mythical, superhero gear with what has previously been characterized as women’s attire. To Jaden, who was recently crowned as one of GQ‘s most stylish men, says it’s just about expressing what’s on the inside, but designer Nicolas Ghesquiere, says his participation in the campaign represents something for a generation.
“Why does Jaden Smith star in this campaign? He represents a generation that has assimilated the codes of true freedom, one that is free of manifestos and questions about gender. Wearing a skirt comes as naturally to him as it would to a woman who, long ago, granted herself permission to wear a man’s trench or a tuxedo. Jaden Smith conveys something very interesting about the integration of a global wardrobe. He’s found an instinctive balance that makes his extraordinary attitude a new norm. That really inspired me in the creative process for this collection”.
Check out the Louis Vuitton video, The Heroine, and watch as Jaden Smith attempts to fold gender boundaries.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vmcAWiAwWUE