Business Punk – Julian Zietlow: The ascetic in Gucci

2020: G-Class, Gucci, half-naked models – 2021: veganism and renunciation. Julian Zietlow wants to radically change lives and companies. Why?

Business Punk Dossier, Issue 02/21

“I think I was born to do without,” says Julian Zietlow. “I think I’ve always been a minimalist and just found myself in a world where more and more is cool. I don’t feel like that anymore.” Zietlow, 36, is wearing a cream-coloured Gucci hoodie, an expensive-looking watch and white Nike Jordans, his favourite shoes. The contradiction to his words is perfect. He has more than 30 pairs of Jordans in his wardrobe and even has a YouTube channel named after them: “Millionaire in Jordans”. His main channel is Julian Zietlow, which has over 200,000 subscribers. Or rather: was. Because almost everything has changed for Zietlow. In January, he announced that he was leaving YouTube after ten years. And that by the end of the year he would make his supplement brand Rocka Nutrition completely vegan. A big step, considering 50 per cent of his fitness shakes, bars and snacks are dairy-based. What has happened in the pink and blue fitness empire? […]