Gucci Is the Latest to Combine Its Men's and Women's Runway Shows

The Italian luxury brand is the latest to change up the fashion schedule.

Beginning next year, Gucci will be presenting its men's and women's collections together. The Italian luxury brand made the announcement this morning during The New York Times International Luxury Conference. The decision is a logical step for Gucci; since Alessandro Michele became its creative director in 2015, he has already started to mix the genders by casting men in his women's show, and visa versa. He has also been known for adding traditionally feminine elements like lace and chiffon to his menswear.

Gucci's move toward a more unisex approach to fashion is one that many brands have adopted, both on and off the runway. From luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, which recently cast Jaden Smith in its womenswear campaign, to fast-fashion retailers like Zara dropping a genderless collection, the industry is going from a blurred line between genders to a line that's completely erased in some arenas.

“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,” Michele told WWD. “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 towards a different kind of approach to my story telling.”

Marco Bizzarri, the president and CEO of Gucci, further explains that separating the genders has been more for tradition than practicality and that the choice to unify the shows will help simplify its business.

This year, we have already seen several changes being made to the way fashion shows have traditionally been presented. In February, brands like Vetements and Burberry announced that they would be switching things up by abandoning the current fashion calendar to adopt a "see now, buy now" model. Burberry will also be showing its men's and women's collections at the same time.

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