With sparkling lights and beating drums, Italian luxury label Gucci took over a 14th-century palace in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday to showcase its cruise collection, blending Korean heritage and modern fashion.

Among the celebrities attending were Bollywood star Alia Bhatt and Hanni, singer of K-Pop girl band NewJeans, both recent Gucci brand ambassadors. Also in the front row were Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, rapper Jay Park, South Korean singer IU, Thai actress Davika Hoorne and actors Blake Lee, Elizabeth Olsen and Dakota Johnson.

Bhatt, an acclaimed actress who's also been lauded for her activism around mental health, was made the first Indian global ambassador only last week.

"I’m honoured to represent the house of Gucci not only in India but at a global stage. Gucci’s legacy has always inspired and intrigued me, and I’m looking forward to the many sartorial milestones we create together," she said.

Jay Park, Hanni, Mark Ronson and Ludwig Goransson attend the Gucci Seoul Cruise 2024 fashion show at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. Getty
Gucci chief executive Marco Bizzarri and Bollywood star Alia Bhatt. Getty
Blake Lee, Dakota Johnson, Marco Bizzarri, IU and Alia Bhatt on the front row. Getty
Elizabeth Olsen and Jack Lowden. Getty
Producer Mark Ronson at the show. Getty
Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Goransson. Getty
Actress Jodie Turner-Smith. Getty
Juyeon and Younghoon of K-Pop group The Boyz. Getty
The Italian luxury label took over the 14th-century Seoul palace to showcase its cruise collection, blending Korean heritage and modern fashion. AP
It featured a mix of street and sportswear. AP
The fashion show, featuring the soundtrack of Oscar-winning South Korean movie Parasite during its finale, was the first to take place within the palace courtyard. AP
Cruise collections, originally designed for wealthy holidaymakers on yachts or cruises during winter, are outfits produced by stylists on top of seasonal lines. AP
The Gucci cruise show follows a Louis Vuitton pre-autumn fashion show on a Seoul bridge in April. AP
Wide-leg trousers were slit at the knees, coats were belted and T-shirts hung loose. EPA
Built in 1395, the Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main royal palace of Korea's Joseon dynasty. AFP

In a mix of street and sportswear, models dressed in surfing suits or carrying skateboard-shaped bags strutted between ancient pillars in corridors surrounding the main hall of the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Wide-leg trousers were slit at the knees, coats were belted and T-shirts hung loose.

The fashion show, featuring the soundtrack of Oscar-winning South Korean movie Parasite during its finale, was the first to take place within the palace courtyard.

Gucci had planned to stage a show at the same venue last year, but it was cancelled after a deadly Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 people.