There’s a stark difference between simply hosting a show and putting on a show, as evidenced by the Louis Vuitton cruise collection this evening. The fashion house flew editors, ambassadors, and VIPs, including Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, Jaden Smith, Sophie Turner, Hoyeon, and more, to the quaint French city of Avignon. The collection was presented inside the historic Palais des Papes, one of the most iconic examples of still-standing Gothic medieval architecture across Europe.
The historic venue was founded in the 14thcentury as a papal residence and eventually became the site of some of the French papacy’s largest extravagances. Fresh off of Conclave and a literal conclave, the UNESCO World Heritage Site felt fitting for the eclectic designs of artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière.
Inside the Cour d’Honneur, the sweeping formal entrance to the Palais, guests perched on solid wood and red velvet high-backed chairs, not unlike those that usually rest behind a pulpit, arranged along an illuminated runway—prompting the feeling that a court performance was about to begin.
As the first models rounded the corner, three words immediately sprang to mind: brocade, brocade, and brocade (with a touch of fuzzy trim). Each piece was undoubtedly inspired by the medieval setting, evoking abstractions of coats of arms and jester-like graphic stripes. However, Ghesquière’s DNA tends to be resilient enough to poke through even the most extravagant of his designs. Signature details abounded, from wonderfully slouchy boots to bulky shoulders and flowing high-low gowns, this time with the addition of complex embroidery fit for the palace’s former residents.
Each ensemble wove a new narrative of indulgence, perhaps an apt offering for the storied setting. In some places, stiff Victorian collars were boldly combined with swinging metallic fringe and micro-shorts. Elsewhere, Ghesquière paired relaxed zip-ups with graphic miniskirts, while mirrored shoes reflected the scene as their wearers strutted down the runway.
In the end, the models forwent the traditional finale walk, instead climbing the stairs to empty stadium seats peering down over the guests. As spotlights illuminated their perch, Ghesquière completed a solitary walk crossing through the pews, as if cementing his anointment for all those in view.
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