Italian luxury brand Gucci will present its Cruise 2024 collection at Seoul's historic Gyeongbokgung Palace on May 16, marking its 25th anniversary in South Korea.
Initially scheduled for May 15, the show will be the first for a single foreign brand at the palace.
Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri highlighted the brand's commitment to supporting local talent, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering relationships with local communities.
Built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Gyeongbokgung Palace symbolizes the connection between Florence, Italy, and Seoul, Korea, despite their geographical distance.
Bizzarri believes the location will celebrate the past and inspire the future.
In 2022, Gucci entered into a three-year agreement with the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration to preserve and restore Gyeongbokgung Palace, also known as the Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven.
Initially, the administration denied Gucci's request to hold the event at the palace. However, after pledging a three-year donation for restoration and preservation, the company received approval.
The show was initially scheduled for November 2022 but was postponed due to the Itaewon crowd crush tragedy in Seoul, which claimed the lives of over 150 people.
Marco Bizzarri, Gucci's global chairman and chief executive, is expected to attend the Cruise 2024 collection in May.
Gucci's decision to host the show at the historic site follows the brand's longstanding presence in South Korea, opening its first store in Seoul in 1998.
The country is now the world's seventh-largest luxury consumer market, with luxury sales proving more resilient during the pandemic than in China. Gucci and Louis Vuitton, along with Chanel and Hermès, were among the first generation of luxury brands introduced to the country in the 1990s.
As Gucci prepares to celebrate 25 years in South Korea, the Cruise 2024 show at Gyeongbokgung Palace serves as a celebration.
It highlights the brand's ongoing commitment to cultural preservation and international collaboration.
