The future always looms large in Nicolas Ghesquière’s oeuvre. Sci-fi references have been part of his vocabulary since his Balenciaga days. Although his work at Louis Vuitton has been about “building a wardrobe”, even at the prestigious luggage maker he hasn’t shied away from his penchant for all things hi-tech and futuristic.
This season, however, instead of going back to the future, Ghesquière found himself going back to Paris, both figuratively and literally.
After showing his collections at the Foundation Louis Vuitton on the outskirts of the City of Light for the last few seasons, the designer moved the presentation to a cavernous gutted building that will transform into a Louis Vuitton boutique to open in July, located on Place Vendome, the heart of French luxury.
The clothes he presented were a slight departure from his previous work at the leather-goods house. His idea of a “savvy Parisienne” envisioned her clad in drapy jersey dresses skimming her body; tailored power suits that meant nothing but business (Hillary Clinton should take note); and gold-embellished skinny pants and separates that will find an audience with a younger crowd of cool girls about town. From the broad shoulders to the shiny textures, the collection had an ’80s feel to it, something of a trend this season. A mini version of the Petite Malle, which is actually a phone case, will be the most coveted, and undoubtedly most expensive, iPhone accessory come spring.
In a Paris season that will likely be remembered for Kim Kardashian’s robbery and all the damage that the unfortunate episode has done to the reputation of the city, this beautiful homage to French elegance was definitely welcome.
