After paying tribute to its late designer, Virgil Abloh last January and the absence of a successor, the Louis Vuitton menswear division is headed for a transitional season. But if anyone thought that the brand would be curating its display for this collection, which is designed by its in-house team, they were terribly wrong.
The French luxury house built a giant yellow loop of a runway like a theme park version of a toy racetrack in the forecourt of the Louvre Museum, and opened the star-studded show with a high-energy performance by Florida A&M University Marching. The band, then set live by rapper Kendrick Lamar, performed from his seat wearing a spectacular crown of thorns.
After all, the show was followed not only by local guests who fiercely fan themselves against the scorching heat, but a huge global online audience who see fashion as entertainment – a concept that Abloh introduced to WWD in 2020. Told to: “I look at my studio as a mix between Disney and an art-making studio.”
These clothing were designed to pop on screen, from outerwear suits and flower-shaped buttoned coats to racing leather in psychedelic wavy panels; a suit covered in an origami paper plane; And two backpacks sprouting giant 3D-printed loudspeakers.
The organizations touched on many of the foundations of Abloh’s four-year tenure, which ended with his sudden death from cancer last November. His fascination for boyhood was a central theme, with jackets in playdo colors with oversized shear pockets and coats jeopardizing the allure of the size of a sandbox tool.
Abloh’s love for flowers was reflected in thistle patterns on jacquard coats and suits, and gorgeous floral field motifs were embroidered on the closing look, a green suit overlaid with a split skirt at the back , which echoed the poppy field prints of his first collection in 2018. Inspired by “The Wizard of Oz”.
The ’90s also had nods for her formative years as a skater and her gender-fluid approach to menswear. An acid-wash denim jacket and shorts were paired with chunky purple LV Trainer snow boots, while an orange varsity jacket covered in hand-crocheted patches was worn over tie-dye pants.
Abloh’s playful touch was evident in accessories, which included object-shaped bags, including a keypole covered in cartoon characters, and sandwich box bags with graphics that read “Freshly Baked”.
The show came amid growing reports that British designer Martyn Rose is a contender for Abloh’s successor, President and CEO Michael Burke was spotted at his recent show in London, held at the former gay spa chariot was. Speaking exclusively to WWD, Burke declined to comment on the rumours.
“I’ve known Martin for a while. He invited me over to his show. It was a Sunday afternoon, great weather, interesting place. It was nice to take a walk in the park,” he said. “She’s been on the radar for a while. It has had some significant successes. She is a good representation of creativity in London.”
Burke would not say whether a new designer would be named before the next round of men’s shows in January 2023. “We will make an announcement when we are ready,” he said. “There’s no time pressure.”
For the show’s finale, the models turned out to be holding a rainbow flag commemorating Abloh’s first show for the brand, as Lamar said: “Long Live Virgil,” and guests including Justin Timberlake, Jay Balvin and Naomi Campbell warmed up. Applauded.
To be sure, Abloh – whose career spans music, fashion, art and philanthropy – casts a long shadow. But after rolling out its final collection, including its much-hyped sneaker collaboration with Nike, Vuitton will certainly be starting preparations for what lies ahead.
Originally published at Pen 18
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