Gucci to Hold Next Cruise Show at Westminster Abbey

Photo Credit: Zefart/Shutterstock

London’s storied Westminster Abbey is getting a chic new look this year courtesy of Gucci. 

Don’t worry: the Italian fashion house is not going to be redecorating. However, the brand has confirmed that it will be showing its pre-spring/summer 2017 Cruise collection at the London landmark—the final resting place of 17 monarchs and the site of 16 royal weddings (including that of William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge)—on June 2. It will be the first fashion house to ever officially show there.

A statement from the brand was released, reading, “Creative director Alessandro Michele has chosen one of London’s most historic and beautiful settings for his cruise 2017 fashion show: the Cloisters at Westminster Abbey. Gucci will be the first fashion house to host a runway show in this historic location.”

Michele, who is only in his second year as CD of the fashion house, has already staged Gucci shows at cool venues like a train depot in Milan and a garage space in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. His first Cruise collection for Gucci was unveiled at the DIA-Art Foundation in New York City. Choosing a 1,000-year-old international landmark certainly seems like a gutsy, power move decision.

London, however, is more than that for the designer, who was honored at the British Fashion Awards in November, where he picked up the International Designer Award : it was home. “London is always on my mind and in my memories. I’m obsessed with British culture, past and present,” he told The Telegraph.

Gucci isn’t the only brand to choose an exciting location for its Cruise show:Karl Lagerfeld has decided to have Chanel head to Havana, Cuba, while Louis Vuitton will be showing in Rio de Janeiro and previously brought its resort collection to Palm Springs. Dior also took over Pierre Cardin’s Bubble House in Cannes.