Dze_Georgian Project - Dzegvi Shelter | Clapboard Ad Archive

The Dze_Georgian Project for Dzegvi Shelter, crafted by Windfor’s and launched in Georgia in 2019, redefines public interest communication by appropriating and parodying high-fashion conventions to confront homelessness with cultural resonance and creative audacity. This integrated campaign centers on the fictional fashion label Dze_, a clever nod to the familiar Georgian surname suffix that simultaneously taps into contemporary streetwear aesthetics popularized by figures like Demna Gvasalia, positioning the brand as a stylish, culturally embedded entity rather than a straightforward charity appeal. By leveraging the visual language of runway shows, influencer culture, and professional fashion photography, the campaign disarms typical public service messaging and instead delivers an arresting fashion video featuring actual residents of Dzegvi Shelter wearing their own clothes, which imbues the project with authenticity and emotional gravity. The campaign’s strategic launch at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi not only capitalized on an influential cultural event but also disrupted the fashion world’s expectations by revealing the “models” as homeless individuals, thereby spotlighting social realities through the borrowed format of a fashion launch, which Clapboard classifies as FORMAT#12—Parody or Borrowed Format. This approach uses parody to juxtapose glamour and social hardship, turning the fashion platform into a stage for advocacy. The campaign also extended its reach through collaborations with top fashion photographers and directors, as well as partnerships with media outlets like Hammock, at.ge, Marketer.ge, and On.ge, amplifying awareness and engagement across digital and social channels. Moreover, Dze_ bracelets were marketed as tangible consumer products, linking purchase behavior directly to support for the shelter’s mission and creating a seamless consumer-to-cause connection rarely achieved in public interest campaigns. The multidisciplinary production team under Windfor’s ensured the campaign’s high production values and emotional impact, aligning creative vision with technical excellence. The campaign earns 82/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. The Dze_Georgian Project matters to the industry because it demonstrates how public interest campaigns can harness cultural relevance and format parody to break through societal indifference and create sustained conversation around marginalized communities.