Gucci Calls Off Seoul Show in Light of Tragic Event, National Mourning in South Korea
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
NO SHOW: Gucci has called off its show in Seoul slated for Nov. 1 in light of the recent tragic events in the South Korean capital.
On Saturday night, more than 150 people were killed and dozens were injured after being crushed in a large crowd in the Itaewon nightlife district while celebrating Halloween. Hundreds of people are still missing. Local authorities have declared the state of national mourning while investigations are in progress to identify the causes behind the fatal surge.
More from WWD
“Our hearts are filled with grief for those who lost their lives or were injured in the tragic event in Itaewon, Seoul. In respect for the period of national mourning and in alignment with the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration, Gucci will not be proceeding with the planned event at Gyeongbokgung Palace on November 1st,” read a statement released by the fashion house on Sunday. “We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy in Itaewon, a neighborhood that is home to our Gaok store in Seoul. In these difficult hours, we remain unwavering in our commitment to our team and to the people of Korea who mourn the devastating loss of life,” added Gucci’s president and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri.
A post on Gucci’s Instagram page further restated the company’s condolences for the tragic event.
As reported, the brand was supposed to stage its Cosmogonie show, which was first unveiled in May in Apulia. This would have been the first time Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele would have held a show in Korea, and for the occasion, the lineup would have seen the addition of a number of new looks to the original collection, too.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a key and historic landmark in Seoul built in 1395 during the Joseon Dynasty, and Michele chose it with the aim to pay homage to the beauty of South Korean cultural heritage.
In the 15th century, the Gyeongbokgung Palace housed a highly regarded astronomy research center including Ganuidae, the Royal Observatory, which made this a fitting location to present the Gucci Cosmogonie collection, which was inspired by astronomy.
In the leadup of the event, Gucci started to generate buzz by signing Hanni, lead singer of NewJeans, as its newest brand ambassador. The K-pop star, who added to other local ambassadors including “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-Jae and musical artist Kai, was expected to make her first appearance for the Italian brand on Tuesday at the show in Seoul.
Further strengthening its ties with the country, earlier this year Gucci also opened its fourth Gucci Osteria outpost in the Korean capital, on the top floor of its Gaok flagship located in the Itaewon district.
Conceived by Massimo Bottura — the Michelin-starred chef behind the Gucci Osteria format and a close friend of Bizzarri — the Seoul restaurant is decorated following the blueprint of the first Florence location, which opened in 2018.
Best of WWD
