May 17, 2023 12:36
Gyeongbok Palace in downtown Seoul became the rare setting for a Gucci fashion show on Tuesday night, launching the Italian luxury brand's 2024 collection in Asia for the first time.
Celebrities at the former royal palace included actors Dakota Johnson, Saorise Ronan, Lee Jung-jae and Kim Hye-soo and movie director Park Chan-wook among the 500 guests. The show was broadcast around the world on YouTube.
The show was originally scheduled for last November but was canceled after photoshoot by a fashion magazine at the former presidential palace of Cheong Wa Dae created controversy over the use of historic buildings in Korea.
Talks were held with the Cultural Heritage Administration that put the show back on track for November, but the deadly Halloween stampede in Itaewon led to the event being scrapped again.
Luxury brands frequently hold fashion shows in cultural landmarks around the world. Gucci has used the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Castel del Monte in Apulia and Westminster Abbey in London.
Gyeongbok Palace was chosen to appeal to the vital Asian market. Gucci president Marco Bizzarri said the brand has shown respect for historical and cultural sites around the world and described Gyeongbok Palace as a source of inspiration.
The show included influences from hanbok or traditional Korean dress as well as street fashion.
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