Gucci goes seasonless: luxury label announces it will host just two shows per year

The Italian fashion label cuts its runway shows from five to two per year as the world of fashion re-evaluates

Emma Watson has joined the board of Gucci's parent company, Kering. Recently Gucci announced it will only show two collections a year.  AFP

Fashion powerhouse Gucci is saying goodbye to seasonal fashion shows as it cuts its catwalk presence from five to two per year.

The Italian luxury label hosted a virtual press conference from Rome, where the brand's creative director, Alessandro Michele, made the announcement.

The high-profile fashion house will carve a new path, leaving the traditional calendar behind. The Italian creative director said he would no longer adhere to a schedule centred around spring / summer, autumn / winter, cruise and pre-fall shows.

Designer Alessandro Michele walks out at the end of Gucci's Fall/Winter 2020/2021 collection, presented in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Two shows would be enough, said Michele.

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"I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call. We will meet just twice a year, to share the chapters of a new story," wrote the fashion director on Gucci's social media.

The future of fashion looks like it could be changing as designers step away from the well-trodden catwalks showcasing collections four times a year. As the world embraces a new normal, the appeal of jetting fashionistas to global capitals around the world to sit shoulder-to-shoulder around busy runways is losing its appeal.

The coronavirus lockdown, which has hit luxury fashion houses hard, has also given brands pause to rethink the pace of fashion.

A change of pace

Gucci and Saint Laurent are two of the high-profile fashion houses to announce they will leave the fashion calendar behind. AP

Gucci isn't the only fashion label to step away from the traditional fashion calendar set up.

Saint Laurent is also seeking a change when it comes to the industry. The fashion label said last month it planned to take control of the fashion schedule in light of current circumstances.