Gucci cancels Seoul show after Itaewon tragedy

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 31, 2022

Gucci has cancelled its planned show in South Korea’s capital Seoul following the tragic loss of life at the weekend as young people celebrated Halloween in the nightlife district of Itaewon.

More than 150 people died and many were injured after being crushed on Saturday night when the crowd surged and the tightly-packed revellers were unable to escape.

The dead included locals and tourists — many of them in their 20s — with actor Lee Jihan named among those who died.

Gucci had been planning to bring to Seoul an updated version of its Cosmogonie show that it presented in Italy five months ago with the event set to take place in the Gyeongbokgung Palace on Tuesday in front of an audience of 500 people. 

A first for Gucci creative chief Alesaandro Michele in the country, it was cancelled after South Korea’s president declared a week of national mourning.

Gucci said: “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.”

Brands are increasingly targeting South Korea as a key market due to its large number of luxury-hungry consumers. Results reports in recent periods have often called out that market as being a bright spot in Asia compared to China where ongoing Covid lockdowns have dented sales.