With sparkling lights and beating drums, Italian luxury label Gucci took over a 14th-century palace in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday to showcase its cruise collection, blending Korean heritage and modern fashion.
Among the celebrities attending were Bollywood star Alia Bhatt and Hanni, singer of K-Pop girl band NewJeans, both recent Gucci brand ambassadors. Also in the front row were Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, rapper Jay Park, South Korean singer IU, Thai actress Davika Hoorne and actors Blake Lee, Elizabeth Olsen and Dakota Johnson.
Bhatt, an acclaimed actress who's also been lauded for her activism around mental health, was made the first Indian global ambassador only last week.
"I’m honoured to represent the house of Gucci not only in India but at a global stage. Gucci’s legacy has always inspired and intrigued me, and I’m looking forward to the many sartorial milestones we create together," she said.
In a mix of street and sportswear, models dressed in surfing suits or carrying skateboard-shaped bags strutted between ancient pillars in corridors surrounding the main hall of the Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Wide-leg trousers were slit at the knees, coats were belted and T-shirts hung loose.
The fashion show, featuring the soundtrack of Oscar-winning South Korean movie Parasite during its finale, was the first to take place within the palace courtyard.
Gucci had planned to stage a show at the same venue last year, but it was cancelled after a deadly Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 people.
Cruise collections, originally designed for wealthy holidaymakers on yachts or cruises during winter, are outfits produced by stylists on top of seasonal lines.
The Gucci cruise show follows a Louis Vuitton pre-autumn fashion show on a Seoul bridge in April.
Built in 1395, the Gyeongbokgung Palace served as the main royal residence of the Joseon dynasty.
Gucci, owned by French luxury group Kering, parted ways with its star designer Alessandro Michele in November as sales fell behind competitors. The brand will welcome its new creative director, Sabato De Sarno, later this year.
— Additional input by Reuters
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