After Gucci’s not-so-cruise presentation at Times Square Centre, the fashion-forward mused on how Louis Vuitton would follow up. Also deciding to present its Cruise Collection in New York City, the maison skipped the bright and crowded square for The Frick Collection, an art museum that showcases art from the Renaissance to the late nineteenth century. In hindsight, this location was all we needed to know about Ghesquière’s upcoming collection.
Seated in the front row waiting for the show to begin were Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone and other friends of the maison. Donning outfits in shades of grey, black, and other moodier colours, the star-studded row contrasted heavily with the vibrant resort collection. Beginning with the track Boys Wanna Be Her by Canadian singer Peaches, the music complemented the clothes perfectly as models walked with the confident aura that comes during vacation.
Celebrating art, heritage, and the contextualities of the contemporary woman, Ghesquière’s collection was a feast for the eyes! Each look presented its own character, journeying from youthful to sporty to feminine to party chic. An ‘80s American influence took over with an emphasis on broad shoulders and straightforward colour blocking, while earlier European fashion also took centre stage in the form of oversized ruffle collars and streamlined coats. The integration of both cultures is what makes it such a compelling cruise collection. The dynamism is what you can expect to find at both the Hamptons and the Mediterranean coast.
The theme of asymmetry continued here with clothes featuring blunt cuts at the hemline and models walking with singular statement earrings. While colours like orange, electric blue, and hot pink defined the collection’s palette and deeper shades of navy blue and brown grounded each outfit.
Playful details like bags and other accessories only continued to push each heroine into their travel fantasy. Some picked up soft leather bags while others slung boxes over their shoulders. The shoes went from neutral to metallic, with no such pair being considered a “pop of colour” amongst the vibrant looks. Whereas the standout accessory was an archival 100-year-old Louis Vuitton suitcase in which artist Keith Haring doodled on. In fact, parts of the collection took inspiration from Haring’s visual language, reimagining his motifs onto graphic prints.
After the recent Met Gala, which highlighted the theme “Fashion is Art”, the conversation between the dialogue of clothes and fine art is now more prominent than ever. Ghesquière’s latest marries art to fashion while also incorporating understated European elegance and contemporary American culture, culminating in a heroine that’s as complex as she is stylish.
