Gucci will have a fashion show at Castel del Monte

Haute couture house Gucci will hold a fashion show on May 16 inside Castel del Monte, in Puglia, one of the symbolic places of Italian history and art. The initiative was created to present the Florentine fashion house ’s new men’s and women’s collection, signed by Creative Director Alessandro Michele.

“Thus continues the dialogue of Gucci’s Creative Director with a series of important historical places,” Gucci writes in a note, “a dialogue that this time features a site of incredible universal value recognized and protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, managed by the Ministry of Culture - Regional Directorate Museums Puglia.” According to Gucci, “Castel Del Monte, thanks to the harmonious combination of different elements from Northern Europe, the Islamic world and classical antiquity, perfectly represents the crossroads of peoples, cultures, civilizations and religions that is the Mediterranean.” The parade will also serve to enhance the site, Gucci concludes, “Continuing the Maison’s commitment to support, preserve and promote artistic and cultural heritage, Gucci will support the project to enhance the historic site of Castel Del Monte, which will improve the visitor experience.”

Institutions obviously applaud the initiative. “Castel del Monte more and more international scene,” writes the mayor of Andria, Giovanna Bruno, on Facebook. “The Frederician castle will be the world stage for Mason Gucci’s fashion event.” Enthusiastic also Bari’s councillor for the environment, Pietro Petruzzelli: “A very important opportunity to promote all over the world our territory and our beauty. In addition, Gucci will support the project to enhance the historic site of Castel Del Monte, improving the visitor experience. This is definitely a beautiful example of territorial marketing and promotion!!! We are well aware that we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and by now many people have realized this. This is not the first time that a high fashion company chooses our region to promote its business, and that an important brand like Gucci wanted Puglia for its next fashion show can only make us proud and happy. It will be a valuable opportunity to make our historical and artistic heritage, our traditions, our history known more and more in the world.”

However, the decision to hold the parade at Gucci was not without controversy, basically for two reasons. The first is that, during the week of May 16, the possibility of visiting Castel del Monte will be greatly reduced. Normally, in fact, Castel del Monte is open from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., but on May 14 and 15 it will open only four hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on May 16 it will be closed all day, and on May 17 it will be open from 2 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The second reason is the fact that the amount of the contribution offered by Gucci has not been disclosed.

Opposing the parade is the Mi Riconosci association, which writes: “Bombastic communiqués, as usual, as if it were an honor, for an iconic jewel of Frederick’s art and UNESCO heritage, to host an event by a fashion maison, and not vice versa. And little harm if to host it for 10 days the site will see reduced fruition (with full closure on May 16). Leaving aside opinions on the role of public cultural heritage, there is one aspect, however, on which we would like to have clarifications from the Regional Museums Directorate as soon as possible: how much did Gucci pay to use the Castle, its spaces, its image, and to create inconvenience to users for ten days - moreover, in mid-May, creating indirect damage to the entire tourist industry - ? So far the press releases do not say, speaking of a generic support for a ’project to enhance the historical site of Castel Del Monte, which will improve the visitor experience’. A little short. It would be important to know what figures are being talked about, because if only a few years ago millions of euros were refused by Greece to let Gucci parade on the Acropolis in Athens, we would like to hope that the figure agreed upon for the Apulian jewel is on a similar order of magnitude.” Mi Riconosci refers to an affair in 2017, when the Central Archaeological Council of Greece, due to incompatibility, refused to grant the use of the Acropolis to Gucci, which would reciprocate with as much as 56 million euros.

The Puglia Regional Museums Directorate, on which Castel del Monte depends, speaks of “Contamination between past and present, art and fashion that finds in beauty the common language.” It is “encapsulated in this magnetic interlocking the choice by Alessandro Michele to present, next May 16 at Castel del Monte, the new Gucci collection, launching the image of the Castle and the Apulian landscape all over the world,” it writes on its Facebook page. “The artistic-cultural dialogue with Gucci will, however, go far beyond the event, with a commitment to fund an important enhancement project designed to enhance the experience of visiting Castel del Monte.” The management also announced that from May 7 to 17, the cost of the ticket will be exceptionally reduced to only 2 euros (as opposed to the usual 7 euros).

Image: Castel del Monte. Photo by Francesco Bini

Gucci will have a fashion show at Castel del Monte

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