At Gyeonbokgung Palace in Seoul, Gucci presented its 2024 Cruise collection. In the brief gap between the brand’s former creative director Alessandro Michele‘s whimsical reign and before the beginning of Sabato De Sarno‘s new chapter, the house took inspiration from a new setting.
On a site that has stood for over six centuries in the South Korean capital, the Gucci creative team brought forward a collection that embraced where it’s been, where it is and where it’s going. Blending signature design touchpoints with clever nods to the country’s multicultural style, Cruise 2024 was a referential amalgam of aesthetics, expertly honed by the brand’s brilliant eye.
Kicking off with a floor-length bomber coat and vamped-up Horsebit accessories, the show was an ode to the street style that has made the country a major inspiration for fashion insiders. From Karen Elson in a sorbet coat that fastened with a traditional Jeogori style bow to a chartreuse gown with a pink jello print by local artist Ram Han, Gucci did not overlook its host’s rich heritage.
Athleisure and streetwear featured prominently, with skateboards, surfboards and plenty of neoprene present in the collection. Also notably included was a throwback to the brand’s past with a rejigged iteration of lilac embellished trousers famously worn by Madonna at the 1999 Grammys and designed by Tom Ford during his tenure at the house.
Naturally, the front row was filled with celebrities, both international—including ambassador Dakota Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Saoirse Ronan—and domestic stars like NewJeans’s Hanni and IU, Lee Jung-jae.
Though the finale surprised with a simple oversized coat instead of the usual glitzy gowns, the look read as a sentimental, offering a warm farewell to one chapter, and clearing the way for a fresh new era.
Seoul has been swarmed by the fashion world lately, with reports of its luxury buying skyrocketing in the past year, in comparison to slumps seen elsewhere. Cementing the South Korean capital as a home of high fashion, designers have flocked to stake their claim, with Louis Vuitton recently showing their Pre-Fall 2023 show at the iconic Jamsugyo Bridge earlier this month.
Ahead, some of our favourite looks from the Gucci Cruise 2024 collection.
This article originally appeared on Grazia International.