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They have always been the prerogative of the wealthiest customers, those able to rebuild their wardrobe to go on a trip, which at the time also consisted of long cruises. The Cruise collections, with the advent of social media and a public increasingly in need of constant stimulation, unique experiences and some surprises, have for a decade now returned to being an essential event for the great fashion houses that have stopped traveling (and allow their customers to travel) only obliged by the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. Today the focus remains on intriguing and entertaining customers (or rather: customers) in a historical moment that is experiencing numerous difficulties that have emerged not only from the normalization estimated by analysts but also from slowing quarterly reports such as that of the LVMH group released a few days ago.
The 2025 Cruise season is, to use a sporting comparison, at the starting line. With a surprise: having archived years of exotic destinations between Asia and the Americas, net of a few forays like that of Balenciaga in Shanghai on May 30th, the protagonist this year seems to be Europe. Extended to England and Scotland.
Gucci and Dior between England and Scotland
The latest announcement in chronological order, in fact, concerns the Gucci fashion show which will be held in London on May 13th. The location chosen by the Kering group brand – with Sabato De Sarno at the first “test” across the border – will be held in one of London’s temples of contemporary art, Tate Modern. Having archived the times of the sumptuous Gucci show (at the time directed by Alessandro Michele) at Westminster Abbey and the three-year agreement with Chatsworth, it represents «the ideal setting to present the vision of the creative director Sabato De Sarno and is a hub of creativity and of dialogue, in which different perspectives converge, giving rise to interesting dialogues and encouraging cultural exchange”. The event resulted in both the sponsorship of the «Electric Dreams» exhibition, which will open in autumn 2024, but also a three-year collaboration promoting the Tate’s work with young creatives.
If London has always had a strong link with the Florentine fashion house – the founder, Guccio Gucci, nineteen years old at the time, at the end of the nineteenth century worked as a porter at the Savoy Hotel in London and it was there that he had the intuition to create suitcases of luxury – Dior’s choice for the location of the Cruise 2025 fashion show also fell on Scotland. The show, scheduled for June 3rd, will in fact be held at Drummond Castle. The sixteenth-century residence has beautiful gardens that date back to 1630 and combine the aesthetics of Italian terraces with French gardens (and were also visited by Queen Victoria). However, the fashion house led by Maria Grazia Chiuri has just presented the pre-fall collection overseas: at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.
Louis Vuitton in Barcelona, Max Mara and Jacquemus in Italy
Another maison of the LVMH group has chosen Europe: the flagship brand Louis Vuitton, in fact, will parade with Cruise 2025 on May 23rd in Barcelona. The location is still top secret, but the date and city were revealed as far back as October. Already last year the brand led on a creative level by Nicolas Ghesquière had chosen a location on the Old Continent after years around the world (from Rio de Janeiro to Palm Springs, passing through Tokyo): the Cruise 2024 fashion show was in fact held at ‘Isola Bella, on Lake Maggiore.