The visionary architect at Louis Vuitton, Nicholas Ghesquière presented his Women’s Pre-fall 2024 collection, in collaboration with Chinese Artist Sun Yitian. The Voyager Show marked Ghesquière’s 10th year at the house, taking place in Shanghai, unveiled at The Long Museum was his collection that masterfully infused into tapestry a symphony of the past, present, and Eastern-Western fusion.
The inspiration…
A salute to the House’s French history, the energy of the present, and the stylistic vision of China’s youth, Ghesquière presented a conjoining refinement between classicism and oppositional prints. Celebrating a decade at Louis Vuitton he wanted to reflect the dialogue between the past and present through contemporary Artist Sun Yitian’s designs and the push towards a new era where Eastern and Western designs work synonymously. Rather than one, a confluence of ideas inspired this season’s Voyagers show.
The collection …
A celebration of colour and joy opened the runway, the collection pulsated by Yitian’s dynamic spirit, a burst of colour washed the runway. Opposing prints of animals and block colours found harmony against classical styles. There was a sense of joyful playfulness, an ode to youthful energy and a love of experimentation. Yitian’s figurative bestiary found its way onto the garments, adding a touch of whimsy to the familiar concepts – where dogs, swans and leopards can be found as motifs. Her artistic infusion echoed Ghesquière’s longstanding appreciation for the conversation between fashion and art.
The collection matured from bestiary designs to contrasting silhouettes. Almost sci-fi and futuristic as a Dune-like score echoed against the concrete runway and focused our attention onto the interplay of refinement and audacity in silhouettes. Layering was prominent; hard structures, short vs long, and bubbled. No two were the same, but the push and pull between contrasting silhouettes of each look, created a sense of drama and engagement.
A notable style of Ghesquière’s that punctuated the Voyagers narrative was his dramatised accessories. The House’s classic bags like the Petite Malle, Speedy, and the Neverfull, were remoulded with extra touches of timeless elegance through the Louis Vuitton monogram, where Yitian’s fun spirit stamped the accessories with colour.
The collection was one of asymmetrical cuts, and unexpected details, where defined shoulders and bold geometric details placed onto draping fabrics evoked a sense of movement and structure. Its youthful, reminiscent and whimsical collection was the perfect balance of bold, playful and Eastern elegance with Western tailoring, a fusion that Nicholas Ghesquière and Sun Yitian executed seamlessly.
Guests…
Louis Vuitton ambassadors and friends of the House showed their full support to Ghesquière, capping his 10th anniversary at the house.
Attending was Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Zhao Lina, Du Juan, Anna Wang Regina King, Chloë Grace Moretz, Elaine Zhong, Amber Liu, Guo Keyu, amongst others.
The set…
Playing into the themes, the show took place at the Long Museum in Shanghai, founded by husband and wife collectors Mr. Liu Yiqian and Ms. Wang Wei. The show beginning on the second level of the museum, descending the stairs to the open floor, models made their way around the bended white walls that lined the concrete floors. The museum known for its architectural funnel shape, holds a rich collection of traditional, modern and contemporary Chinese and Western art.
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