April 5, 2016: In the heat of what appears to be a buy-straight-off-the-runway contest in luxury fashion, Gucci announced the consolidation of its women’s and men’s seasonal fashion shows.
In an age when the century-old industry is racing to catch up with the demands and mores of the new century, Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s first unified collection for the brand will take place at Gucci’s new headquarters at Via Mecenate in Milan, in 2017.
A novelty in the world of haute couture, Gucci’s decision breaks with the precept of separate womenswear and menswear presentations, which has largely proven to be a rigid tradition, rather than a practicality.
The label will, however, maintain its see-now-buy-later policy, respecting the fundamentals of the long creative and production processes in high fashion. Collaborating with Italy’s Camera Nazionale della Moda (National Chamber of Italian Fashion), Gucci will align its now separate men’s and women’s calendars in order to preserve its lead times.
