Gucci Is Headed To Paris Fashion Week

For one season only, Gucci is decamping from Milan to Paris Fashion Week. The Italian fashion house will present its spring/summer 2019 collection in the French capital on September 24, in what will be the finale of Alessandro Michele’s three-part homage to France.

“Gucci is a global brand with deep and vibrant Italian roots and a visionary French shareholder, Kering,” Marco Bizzarri, president and chief executive officer of Gucci told WWD. “When Alessandro told me of his desire to present the new collection in Paris – continuing the French-inspired narrative – I thought it was a perfect way to continue the creative homage to France.”

The date, which is the transition day between Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, has been carefully chosen, Bizzarri said, to avoid impacting schedules. The brand, however, has not forgotten its roots, and will stage a special event at the Gucci Hub on September 19, during the second day of Milan Fashion Week.

Before then, Gucci will hold its cruise 2019 fashion show on May 30 on the Promenade Des Alyscamps, a Roman necropolis outside the walls of the old town of Arles. “After cruising New York, London and Florence, France was the most natural and organic landing place for Gucci,” Michele commented. “I wanted to pay my homage to this incredibly important and fundamental country for our culture and history.” His love letter to France began with his pre-fall 2018 advertising campaign, which took inspiration from the 1968 marches and riots in the country.

In response to Gucci’s intention to show in Paris - which has officially been shared with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode - Carlo Capasa, president of the Italian Chamber of Fashion, said the association “understands and respects the reasons behind [the] request... and will look forward to Gucci returning to open Milan Fashion Week next February.”

The news follows a series of fashion week shifts including the announcement that Vivienne Westwood's spring/summer 2019 collection will be shown during London Fashion Week in September, instead of June.