Gucci transforms Times Square into runway as label debuts new collection with Cindy Crawford, Tom Brady

Gucci’s creative director Demna presented his first Cruise collection for the Italian ‌luxury brand on Saturday night in New York, transforming Times Square into a runway as owner Kering seeks to revive its struggling flagship label.The splashy show, livestreamed on billboards in one of the most visited places on the planet, was a nod ​to Gucci’s ties to Manhattan — the birthplace of its international expansion and where the Italian house ​opened its first store outside Italy in 1953.The “GucciCore” collection unveiled on Saturday “feels like a ⁠homecoming for the brand,” Demna said in a statement.“I wanted to do the impossible and place Gucci ​at the centre of this metropolis,” he added.Cindy Crawford and former football quarterback Tom Brady were among the ​models who donned Demna’s variety of styles, from business suits and trench coats to full-length gowns, in front of an audience of celebrities including Anna Wintour and Mariah Carey.The collection’s range reflects the “plurality of styles that intersect like the streets of the ​city,” Demna said.Cruise collections, once limited to resort attire, are now often presented in locations that allow ​brands to link their designs to a geographic narrative.They are staged in addition to the biannual fashion calendar.Gucci’s ‌decision ⁠to host the show in New York comes as many European luxury brands turn to the North American market to drive growth.French fashion house Christian Dior unveiled its Cruise collection in Los Angeles this month.The show followed Demna’s runway debut for the house in Milan in February.

The Georgian designer spent a decade at ​Kering’s Balenciaga brand before taking ​over as Gucci’s creative ⁠director in July last year, stepping into a role previously held for two years by designer Sabato De Sarno.The Gucci brand makes up a majority of profit ​at French conglomerate Kering, which sought a creative reset when it appointed Demna �...