In May, Gucci staged its cruise 2024 fashion show at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. The show was the first of its kind to take place within the ceremonial courtyard of the 14th century palace. The historic landmark served as a symbol of embodying the past and present, and also marked the Italian house’s first show in the country. With both Korean stars and international figures in attendance on the front row, models walked down the magnificent runway dressed in sportswear-meets-couture pieces infused with vibrant colours and tasteful Gucci accents. 

Over the years, Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show has travelled to cities like Shanghai, Tokyo and Monte Carlo—with each city serving as an inspiration for that year’s show. For the 2022-23 edition, Chanel took its show to the Palais de Justice in Dakar, Senegal, making it the house’s first runway show in Africa. “By choosing Dakar, the house wishes to make the savoir-faire of its Métiers d’art resonate with the artistic and cultural energy of the city,” the house stated in a press announcement.

Dior brought its pre-fall 2023 show to one of India’s most recognisable landmarks—the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The Gujarati-style arch, once a symbol of colonialism, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Dior’s choice of venue pre-fall 2023 collection is no coincidence if one looks at the historical connection between the French maison and India. Back in 1960s, the-then creative director Marc Bohan had staged the first Dior shows in Delhi and Mumbai. Its current director Maria Grazia Chiuri has also worked closely with the master artisans of Mumbai’s Chanakya Ateliers for over two decades. Indeed, Chiuri’s pre-fall 2023 collection was as much a celebration of Indian craftsmanship as it was of French savoir-faire.

The first time Valentino held a show on the Spanish steps was in 1996. In 2022, the maison returned with colour and grandeur from the past, present, and future through the show titled “The Beginning”.

As Labrinth romantically crooned in the background, models wearing timeless pieces in gem colours from the autumn-winter 2022 haute couture show descended the Spanish steps, which is found in Rome, the Eternal City that holds Valentino's rich history.

Dolce and Gabbana held the Alta Moda show at the Piazza del Duomo in Sicily with a dramatic production of Pietro Mascagni’s opera, Cavalleria Rusticana. Several celebrities filled the main square, including Mariah Carey alongside Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, Sharon Stone, Helen Mirren, and Drew Barrymore.

Religious elements and Sicilian influences took over the square, from voluminous skirts and veils to black and gold adornments. 

See also: How Korean couturier Miss Sohee found fans in Gemma Chan, Cardi B—and Dolce and Gabbana

Fendi’s fall-winter 2007 collection, held at the Great Wall of China, was the “first fashion show visible from the moon”.

Several non-rejections from Chinese entities later, the Roman fashion house sent 88 models down the runway as the sun was setting, painting a gorgeous orange sky in the backdrop, while large double-F logos were projected on nearby mountains.

In celebration of Jacquemus’ 10th anniversary, Simon Porte-Jacquemus presented “Coup de Soleil” (Sunstroke) on the captivating Valensole Lavender Fields in Provence.

A long fuchsia carpet ran along a furrow of lavenders where models donning straw hats, floral patterns, and pastel creations from the spring-summer 2020 collection walked. 

Tom Ford revived an abandoned subway platform in New York City to present the house’s edgy creations from the spring 2020 collection. Set designer Stefan Beckman transformed the subway into a runway, realising Ford’s vision.

The underground space was star-studded, with Miley Cyrus, Russell Westbrook, and Anna Wintour in attendance.

The Gucci Resort collection fashion show, led by creative director Alessandro Michele, was quite a marvellous experience as it was held at Westminster Abbey in London, England.

The vibrant designs—influenced by all things British, from the Victorian to the ’70s punk era—stood out against brick walls, imposing pillars and arches.

“I was suggesting some places, I was thinking of something that I really love in London ... I was dreaming to show something here,” Michele said in an interview with The Business of Fashion.

This article was originally published on December 7, 2022 and updated on November 30, 2023.

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