Gucci comes home — and lands in Manila

Gucci may have staged its grand return to Florence for Cruise 2026, but in Manila, the experience began in a quieter, more intimate way—over lunch. Guests gathered at the newly two-Michelin-starred Helm, where Gucci regional general manager for Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Guam Alessandro Belloli, market director Binh Wong, and communications manager Andee Que hosted the annual Gucci holiday get-together. Chef Josh Boutwood crafted a meal that was deliberate without being fussy—the kind that rewards attention and invites conversation. It set the mood for the day: thoughtful, warm, and unmistakably rooted in the Gucci universe.

From Helm, guests were ferried to the Greenbelt 4 boutique for the Cruise 2026 presentation—Florence, distilled and reinterpreted for Manila. This season, the Maison looks inward, returning to its historic Palazzo Settimanni, the archive-rich Florentine building that feels part museum, part heartbeat. The Cruise collection draws from this setting: centuries of fabric-making, the lush textures of the city, and the lived-in glamour born of decades spent dressing real people with real stories.

But nothing about the collection feels heavy. Instead, Gucci plays. It mixes references from different decades, softens the lines, and lets silhouettes drift from structured to relaxed. Pieces feel confident but never rigid—heritage filtered through a modern, lighter touch. There’s the familiar GG, reimagined; new leather goods that nod to the brand’s origins without getting stuck in nostalgia; and the Giglio bag, inspired by Florence’s lily emblem, blooms as the collection’s standout gesture to home.

At the boutique, Manila’s style crowd showed up in full force, each bringing their own read of the collection. Anne Curtis-Smith arrived with her calm, easy glamour, bringing a sense of ease that set the tone. Pia Jauncey kept things streamlined and understated, proving that simplicity, when done well, lands beautifully. Marian Rivera leaned into bold shoulders with her signature polish, while Kylie Verzosa brought softness with an edge.

Janine Gutierrez, as always, struck the balance between classic and cool—never trying too hard, always landing just right. Vlogger Bella Racelis kept her minimalist streak strong in sleek black—proof that quiet can still hold its own in a roomful of statement looks.

The men matched the energy: James Reid in layered textures with an all-leather Gucci Half Horsebit crossbody; Jarren Garcia in confident blues; Mond Gutierrez in crisp monochrome; and BJ Pascual with a hint of shine.

What could have been a straightforward collection preview instead felt like a gathering among friends of the Maison—a mix of holiday festivity and fashion appreciation. Credit goes to Que, Wong, and Belloli, who hosted with the kind of ease and warmth that makes guests stay longer than planned.