More Changes To Rock Fashion Week – Gucci to Show Men’s and Women’s Collections Together!
Photo: Footwear News
There has been a lot of buzz lately around the fashion schedule, with the ‘see now, buy now’ movement gaining popularity. The CFDA went as far as to issue a statement last month regarding the New York schedule explaining that changes are needed, but ultimately left it up to individual designers on which changes they were willing to embrace, which leaves us to now watch as designers and fashion houses scramble to come up with unique ideas to make their brands stand out in the midst of these inevitable changes.
Yesterday Gucci announced that, while they will be sticking with a ‘see now, buy LATER’ schedule, starting next year their men's and women's runway shows will be combined – as opposed to showing men’s and women’s collections at separate shows, generally a few weeks apart.
“It seems only natural to me to present my men’s and women’s collections together. It’s the way I see the world today,” explained Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele. “It will not necessarily be an easy path and will certainly present some challenges, but I believe it will give me the chance to move toward a different kind of approach to my storytelling.”
This announcement has left other designers and retailers split – some offering support and saying they are likely to follow, and others being outspoken in their opposition of this idea.
“To do two creative shows in one is a massacre. And it has to be a huge show, if you want to do it seriously.” Miuccia Prada told WWD last month when asked if she supported the idea.
However Gucci is not the first to make a huge change – in September Burberry will launch their ‘seasonless’ events, featuring women’s and men’s collections on one runway, with the items being shown available to buy immediately. Tom Ford and Vetements have also announced they will be following the same combined runway and ‘see now, buy now’ model with their lines starting this fall.
We look forward to 2017, when Gucci’s coed shows will commence, and we can’t wait to see where the fashion schedule takes us next!
