Celebrity encounters at fashion shows are ideal; everyone is watching this one in Seoul, South Korea. The Gucci Cruise 2024 exhibition was a hot spot due to the grandiosity of the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace and the presence of numerous Korean and international stars.
The opulent Italian fashion house held its nation’s first-ever significant runway presentation.
The sumptuous 2024 cruise collection display for Gucci was the first of its kind and was held in the ceremonial courtyard of Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, which dates back to the 14th century. Models walked the runway beneath rows of historic red-painted arches while the city’s futuristic cityscape hung in the distance. The ensembles blended the legacy brand’s luxurious linens with current active wear trends in Seoul.
The star-studded lineup of guests that filled the front row, including some of the biggest names in the South Korean entertainment industry and K-pop, served as further evidence of the country’s significant influence on the rest of the world throughout the entire showcase. Hanni from NewJeans, the recently designated ambassador and the new face of the house, singer IU, and faces of K-pop’s hottest dramas,, including ITZY, IVE, Aespa, and others, were among them. International celebs like Dakota Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Saoirse Ronan, and ASAP Rocky also mingled on the front row with the Korean stars.
Looks on the runway demonstrated “hybridization,” a conversation between “times and traditions,” and the amazing way city life combines clothing from several civilizations. Models wore clothing influenced by the urban style seen on the streets of Seoul and other places across the world connected digitally, as well as Gucci’s 1990s archives reproduced in colors from 2010. Some designs featured Ram Han’s biomorphic themes and interplay between formal and sports- and casual clothing’s fabrics and construction methods.
Model, Sora Choi, entered the presentation wearing a long, black, padded coat over trousers and carrying an attractive, reoccurring baguette-shaped bag (decorated with crystals and quilted in holographic lilac). There was a mix of affluent street wear and sportswear, such as the ladies who lunch jacket and boucle cycling shorts that exposed the stomach. Another notable piece was a pale pink chiffon dress with tiered ruffles that flew down the runway and was layered over a black bathing suit. Layered turtlenecks with zippers up to the chin were popular, and they were worn with tweed midi skirts with diamanté crystals racing up the sides.
Cyber-goth stomper boots, crystal knits, and holographic lilacs produced a sophisticated club kid vibe. Speaking of outdoor activities and enduring fashion trends, a selection of rubber wader boots and grippy-soled neoprene water shoes made their catwalk debut on Tuesday.
For a few years now, goopy, useful slip-ons have been a casual summertime hit among menswear —a wonderful, laid-back alternative to your go-to Birkenstocks for walking the dog or going to the grocery store. However, Gucci seems to view its streamlined versions as far more versatile than that, teaming them with everything from shadow-plaid suits to boxy, urbane workwear; this includes an ankle-high “scuba boot” that was revived from the house’s archive and a low-cut, Velcro-fastened version that debuted in Seoul. Deconstruction showed streetwear influences, a nod to Seoul’s thriving skate scene. With the pull of a zip, the sleeves of the majority of the clothing could be removed, and bomber jackets could be converted into evening skirts.
Gucci sent a skateboard bag down the runway destined to go viral: a full-sized deck with wheels and a monogrammed Gucci handbag in the middle.
Leather Horsebit Chains have distorted or narrowed shapes, and an embossed leather men’s bag can bring back memories of a Horsebit. Gucci’s minimalist bags from the past are reimagined in vibrant scuba and ornate versions. The rounded trapezoidal shape of the Horsebit Chain bag reappears in priceless shimmering leather.
The 2024 cruise in Seoul is the final collection the Gucci design team will oversee before Sabato De Sarno, the company’s new creative director, assumes control. The collection’s eclectic, rather than aimless, spirit of blending leisure with propriety was a happy tribute to Seoul’s historical vibrancy. Gucci redefined minimalism with the goal of a universal wardrobe by drawing influence from Seoul’s past and its own.
