Gentle Monster

Oct 2023

Gentle Monster continues its tradition of subverting traditional eyewear marketing with its Optical Collection 2024 ad campaign, a project that seamlessly blends high-fashion editorial aesthetics with a surrealist, school-inspired narrative. Under the expert creative direction of Hankook Kim and brought to life through the lens of photographer Hiroshi Manaka, the campaign leans into a stark, minimalist visual language defined by high-key studio strobe lighting. The result is a series of images that feel both hyper-modern and distinctly cinematic. Featuring models Nana Komatsu and Shinichi Osawa, the work explores a friction between the familiar—crisp white shirts, striped ties, and pleated skirts—and the bizarre, incorporating mechanical exoskeletons and metallic, staff-like props to disrupt the classic eyewear portrait. Directed by Yuann, the campaign avoids the static nature of typical product photography, opting instead for dynamic, athletic movement that forces the audience to engage with the distinct eyewear designs as sculptural elements rather than just accessories. Stylist Ayaka Endo and hair artist Tsubasa Dicky round out the creative vision, ensuring that every texture, from the sharp metal spikes of the tie accessories to the vibrant hues of the hair, remains impeccably defined against the campaign's signature seamless white backdrop. It is a masterclass in fashion communication that prioritizes conceptual intrigue over traditional polish, cementing the brand’s reputation for the unconventional.

Commercial

Studio strobe, Studio strobe

Eyewear, Fashion, Fashion