Designer Michael Bastian takes a starring turn in the new short film, The Sharp American, a collaboration of GMC and director Arnaud Boutin that celebrates American design and creativity. Bastian, along with musician George “Twin Shadow” Lewis and noted photographer Michael Avedon, narrate what precision means to them and how it influences their work. The film is a companion to GMC’s advertising campaign.
The film’s opening sequence shows Michael Bastian walking over to the Yukon Denali he drives during the film carrying an Aidien duffel from his capsule collection with Frank Clegg. OTC recently interviewed Bastian for a special project (more about that later) and continue to be impressed by this elegantly casual, thoughtful, and talented gentleman.
The parallels between the GMC Yukon Denali and the world of impeccable dressing, from apparel to accessory and grooming, is also the focus of “Sharp”, the third installment in the brand’s Precision advertising campaign and which features Bastian.
The Precision campaign is part of a major advertising investment this year that showcases GMC’s full line of premium trucks, SUVs and crossovers, including its popular Denali sub-brand. The two previous spots in the series, “Fastball” and “Swish”, focused on how precision influences athletic performance.
Said Bastian: “I was excited when GMC approached me with this opportunity to explore this concept of ‘sharpness’ and the design parallels between our two worlds. As a luxury brand, we understand the necessity for attention to detail and craft in everything we do, much like GMC. As we put the finishing touches on our upcoming Spring ’16 runway show at the first dedicated New York Men’s Week, GMC gave us an invaluable perspective on how a premium brand outside of fashion explores cut, detail, and precision.”
