Luxury fashion is rarely associated with the esoteric hobby of trainspotting, but Francis Bourgeois is changing that. The perpetually upbeat British TikToker has garnered almost two million followers for his wholesome passion for trains, locomotives, and railways, with the engineering student, model, and content creator showcasing his trainspotting adventures on the popular social media platform.
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Now, the 21-year-old has landed a campaign for the well-received The North Face x Gucci collection. The partnership is an apt one, with Bourgeois being known for his love of the outdoors, vibrant personality, and distinctive dress style (citing his grandparents as his sartorial inspiration). The campaign sees Bourgeois take on the role of a train conductor, spiriting a trio of models on a (very fashionable) locomotive journey. Taking place across the Alps, Bourgeois and his companions don The North Face x Gucci outdoors collection, with the former sticking to streamlined pieces befitting of a train conductor, while the latter sport an array of bold logo puffer jackets, colourful hiking boots, and logo-laden pieces.
“One of the most gratifying things is hearing about other trainspotters and their experience in school,” Bourgeois said in an interview with Highsnobiety. “They’ve said that people would bully them for their trainspotting hobby, but now they feel more confident and people respect them for it.”
As for the element that most fascinates Bourgeois about trainspotting? “The linearity in the predictability of trains satisfies the side of my brain that likes to know how things are done. Then the spontaneity and unpredictability of the nature of trainspotting itself fulfil the other side of my brain that goes ‘oh what’s going to happen next?”
Words by Arabella Johnson
