#PrestigeReport: A New Age in Louis Vuitton’s SS19 Collection

Fashion meets architecture meets technology. This has always been the signature style of French designer Nicolas Ghesquière. Since his first Louis Vuitton show in March 2014, the 47-year-old Women’s Artistic Director has been producing innumerable avant-garde pieces that are either Space Age-y or dystopian, a far cry from his predecessor’s commercial and ultra feminine designs.

For Nicolas, it’s always about pushing the boundaries of fashion while empowering the wearer of his creations. He is passionate about transforming the heritage brand and propelling it into the future—and eventually (re)shaping the fashion industry. His Louis Vuitton Women’s Spring-Summer 2019 show, which took place at the Cour Carrée of the Louvre Museum in Paris on October 2, 2018, was a solid continuation of his fashion crusade.

It was unlike any other Spring-Summer collections. No girly florals and dramatic gowns were in sight. Nicolas sent models down the spaceship-themed runway in futuristic graphics, high-tech fabrications and sculptural silhouettes. There was also an abundance of UFO-shaped handbags and mini luggages, reimagined Petite Malles, and interstellar boots. It was out of this world, quite literally!

The Maison’s savoir-faire was evident in Nicolas’s sartorial sci-fi adventure. A closer look at the pieces reveals expert tailoring, top-notch construction, and a clever usage of luxurious textiles and embellishments. Louis Vuitton Women’s Spring-Summer 2019 transported us to a totally new fashion world. Taking it up a notch, Nicolas experimented with ambiguity. From model casting to hair styling and makeup, female models were chosen and made to look cyberpunk masculine. There was total absence of sexy cutouts, long trains, skintight shapes—typical styles seen at Spring-Summer shows.

Bold shoulders, exaggerated sleeves, and boxy pants comprised most of Nicholas’s new offerings. Call it gender bending or androgyny or however you please, it’s a strikingly eclectic collection that reaches out to both traditional and modern generation of consumers. It’s female empowerment translated into futuristic and masculine tailoring. A bold statement for a global heritage brand like Louis Vuitton.