GUCCI HOMAGE TO S KOREA

Gucci presented the Cruise 2024 collection at the ceremonial courtyard of the 14th-century Gyeongbokgung Palace, located in the heart of Seoul.  

The collection reflects the style language developed by the digital generation of interconnected communities from around the world. It is a synthesis of the House’s history and the current electrifying influence of South Korea.

“From fashion and beauty to music and art, the worldwide impact of contemporary South Korean culture is a shining example of the global connectivity that drives Gucci every day. The collection pays homage to this impact, and on broader scale, to the way our wardrobes interact across continents today,” GUCCI.

Model Sora Choi made an entrance at the show, wearing a long, black, padded coat over jeans and holding a voluptuous bag in the shape of a baguette. The bag was adorned with crystals and was covered in a holographic lilac quilt.

The collection’s silhouettes are reminiscent of the Gucci collections of the late 1990s, and the colors of the present day are reflected in the 2010s. Young people are transitioning to metropolitan dressing through a combination of casual and sportswear. Streetwear is a key component of the collection, with pieces such as bouclé skirt suits, skill blouses, and kitten heels. Sportswear is also a key component, with the scuba wetsuit being a popular choice for windsurfers on the Han River. When it comes to the clothing, the majority of the collection draws inspiration from South Korean streetwear, while also reflecting the multi-cultural streetwear seen in cities across the world, with references to both surfing and skateboarding.

“In this digital age, different cultural and subcultural approaches to everyday dressing are now shared globally. These ways of wearing clothes tie us together across cultures and create a global community spirit founded in fashion…The collection merges the wetsuits of the Han River windsurfers with the skirt suits of bourgeois dressing, and the tropes of the skateboarding uniform with formal tailoring,” GUCCI.

Tweed jackets and matching bike shorts defined the sport and evening wear, while details inspired by local clothing mingled with modern Seoul-inspired shapes. Gowns were layered on top of neoprene layers, which was a nod to windsurfing and jet-skiing on the river. Handbags took inspiration from the Horsebit bag, with a narrower design on the Chain bag and a top flap asymmetrical design on the top. It was also debossed in leather to show off the emblem. The Ace sneaker was rounder than usual, and there were scuba boots and stompper boots too.

Gucci immersed itself in the Han River by focusing the entire collection on a sense of sean style, street style and energy that has captured the world’s imagination.

Gucci’s presence in South Korea traces its roots back 25 years in 1998, when the House’s first flagship store opened in Seoul. Since that date, the House’s presence in the nation has steadily increased.

Korea is a country steeped in history, culture, and innovation, which resonates with the House’s core values around the world. Gucci has expressed this connection to Korea through a variety of projects and initiatives that celebrate the country’s unique culture and identity, as well as a shared ambition to make a lasting difference in communities and the fashion world.

Gucci house brought on some of the biggest names in Hollywood for the event, including house star Dakota Johnson, actress Jodie Turner Smith, and supermodel Elizabeth Olsen.

A light show was performed on the colonnade as a parade of past generations of the House marched through the palace courtyard, accompanied by a musical score composed by Wladimir Shall and accompanied by tracks composed by Jung Jae-il. This added to the creativity and cultural interchange between the House’s past and South Korea’s present.

Established in 1395 as the principal royal residence of Joseon Dynasty (the predecessor of modern-day Korea), the Gyeongbokgung Palace has been a focal point of scientific, literary, architectural, and artistic progress throughout its history, including the development of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, and the development of astronomy. This remarkable location serves as a symbolic representation of the past and the present, and the House has thus chosen it as the location for its cruise 2024 fashion show.