Rabanne has unveiled its High Summer 2025 collection with a new campaign inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s funk culture and nightlife.
Directed by Emmanuel Cossu and photographed by Rio-born visual artist Melissa de Oliveira, the campaign draws on the vibrancy of funk carioca and the resilience of the favela communities.
The campaign, described by Rabanne as a tribute to “Rio’s funk, its people, and the power of the Baile,” references the brand’s historical connection to funk and soul music. In the 1980s, founder Paco Rabanne established the record label Paco Rabanne Design and opened the Black Sugar club in Paris, dedicated to funk and Afro-Caribbean sounds. This latest campaign is a modern interpretation of that legacy, seen through the lens of Rio’s baile funk culture.
Melissa de Oliveira, who grew up in Morro do Dendê and has exhibited internationally, captures Rio’s urban life with a focus on local codes of style and gesture. Her work for Rabanne’s campaign features over seventy individuals from the community, including twenty dancers from movements such as Passinho, including talents like Hiltinho Fantastico and the Oz Crias collective. DJs and artists such as DJ Guiguinho, Aisha, and Yaminah Mello are also included, alongside fifty participants from Rocinha’s bailes.
The images depict scenes ranging from the preparation of partygoers to motorbike riders navigating the early morning light. The musical backdrop includes tracks from artists such as MC Neguinho Popotão Grandão, MC Marlon, MC Hollywood, and Luiz Bonfá.
Styling was led by Flavia Lafer, with fashion film styling by Claudia Kopke and Marina Franco. The campaign’s soundtrack underscores the frenetic energy of funk carioca, particularly its modern 150 BPM ritmo louco style, described by Rabanne as music made for packed dance floors and battles between speakers.
Cossu, known for his acclaimed music videos and commercials, expressed that the project was “not just inspiring, it was transformative,” capturing the pulse of Rocinha’s baile funk scene.
Rabanne’s creative direction for the campaign was led by Julien Dossena, with the creative concept by Sunbelt, a studio dedicated to stories rooted in lived experiences. The campaign reflects Sunbelt’s ethos of collaboration and authenticity, described as “fashion as a reflection of life, not an escape from it.”
According to the house, the project was realised with the support of the Rocinha community and stands as a celebration of cultural resilience and artistic expression.
