Kelsey Lu: I fell into a ‘whirlpool of love’ on set with Nan Goldin

From A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator and Iggy Pop cavorting with a macaw, to Miley Cyrus getting drunk and debaucherous at a raucous house party, Gucci has a long history of enlisting megawatt stars to front its ad campaigns. Case in point comes the Italian house’s most recent outing, as creative director Sabato De Sarno calls on Blondie legend Debbie Harry and Kelsey Lu to step into the spotlight in his new We Will Always Have London series. 

A celebration of De Sarno’s first ever Cruise collection, which saw the designer drag the fashion crowd to London and take over the Turbine Halls of the Tate Modern back in May, the campaign is an ode to the brand’s ongoing love affair with the city. In case you’re not up on your Gucci history, founder Guccio started his career as a bell boy at the Savoy Hotel, and got into the luggage game when he noticed how naff a lot of the guests’ cases and trunks were.

With a new iteration of house classic bag ‘the Blondie’ the centrepoint of the series, alongside the faded, crystal-strung jeans, buttery tan suede jackets, and billowing chiffon dresses that made up much of the Cruise 2025 offering, there’s also a mega star behind the camera capturing it all. Step forward legendary photographer Nan Goldin, who’s best known for intimate snapshots of love and life that shone light on the AIDS crisis, as well as her subsequent work to bring justice to the families affected by the Sackler opioid epidemic. 

The campaign marks her first ever fashion campaign, and saw her photograph Harry, Lu, and more in the back of London’s iconic black cabs or loitering in alleyways that glisten where the lamplight hits the rain puddles on the ground. And though the images may appear glossier than her usual output, there’s still so much of the depth and emotion that underpin her work evident throughout. “Nan has the innate ability to do the exact opposite of what I think many photographers unknowingly tend to do, which is extract from the subject they are photographing,” says Lu of working with Goldin. “When you look into her eyes, you fall into a whirlpool of love, empathy, and time in a way that brings you to a place of comfort and ease.” 

With the campaign first dropping in late September, a new set featuring unseen images of Lu just landed. Here, we ask her if it’s true you should never work with children or animals, what song she’d listen to on repeat forever, and what’s in her Blondie bag (obviously). 

What was the vibe like on set? How did you two work together? 

Kelsey Lu: There was excitement along with the myriad of emotions that present themselves when teetering at the edge of a steep cliff. We work together very well, I believe because there's a complete admiration meeting from either side of the lens. When this happens, things tend to move freely.

Did you embody a character in the shoot? Do you embody a character when you are on stage? Or do you come to each as yourself?

Kelsey Lu: I come as I am, and present whatever comes to me in the moment. There is no singular character, there’s many.

What commonalities are there between the way you and Nan work?

Kelsey Lu: I can’t speak for Nan, but something I find kindredness in is the interest of challenging and capturing the truth of love and life in its many complexities in ways so that other people can feel it and question it too.

“A cat that could also turn itself into a horse, I can’t say which kind because there are too many, but a cat that can turn into a horse and back into a cat” – Kelsey Lu, on what emotional support animal she would be

Did you spend time with Debbie? What did you discuss? 

Kelsey Lu: I sat next to Debbie at the Gucci SS25 show in Milan and we discussed secrets and the not-so-secret secrets.

Who is the pup? 

Kelsey Lu: The pup is the dog from The Wizard of Oz brought back to life just for this shoot.

They say never work with children or animals. Did you find this to be true? 

Kelsey Lu: Who never works with children or animals? Debbie? Well, she’s got some dogs with her in the backseat of that car so I guess she does now.

If you were going to be an emotional support animal, what would you be? Or what animal would you want?

Kelsey Lu: A cat that could also turn itself into a horse, I can’t say which kind because there are too many, but a cat that can turn into a horse and back into a cat.

What was your reaction when you saw the photos?

Kelsey Lu: Fuck!

What one song could you listen to forever?

Kelsey Lu: I could never listen to one song forever, I know I’m supposed to play the game but I feel like words are spells and If I say which song it is that I would even consider I might not be able to get it out of my head forever and that seems like a kind of hell.

What’s the most surprising thing we might find in your Blondie bag? 

Kelsey Lu: I can’t tell you or else it wouldn’t be a surprise ;)

And the one essential you couldn’t leave home without?

Kelsey Lu: A pen.

How would you sum up the Blondie in three words? 

Kelsey Lu: Chic, tough, timeless.