As part of the quintessential group of brands everyone is looking forward to seeing on the Parisian runways, Louis Vuitton presented its latest collection for Spring/Summer 2024. While Nicolas Ghesquière had us used to a much more heavy-looking aesthetic, even hardwear like belt buckles and zippers were magnified and almost strung up over the body, this season is all about lightness, movement, and fluidity. With impressive staging and a compelling concept, this may be one of his more cohesive and visually appealing collections.
The key word was travel, and as a brand that at first revolved around luggage, it makes sense. For this reason, Ghesquière wanted to transport the guests into a space that signified movement in a much more light and ethereal way than the conventional means of transportation. When learning that the staging is meant to evoke the interior of a hot air balloon, the warm light that floods the venue thanks to the orangey technical-like material that covers the whole place, from ceiling to floor, the mind is prepared to receive something that makes you feel like one is floating in the sky. It was just to see the movement in the skirt on the first look to realise that setting and concept linked successfully.
Focusing on creating integral and cohesive lines of silhouettes and movement throughout the looks, Ghesquière opted for layering of light materials and balancing of proportions from top to bottom to create a full effect of fresh and lightweight garments that, despite their fluidity, didn’t lack any detail in terms of construction or tailoring. This is where one of the key concepts of the collection is manifested: the balance and contrast between tradition and modernity of classic Louis Vuitton codes and the modern point of view the brand is striving for. Classic blazers were enlarged in proportions but in a controlled way, not reaching the oversize category but letting the body breathe where the bigger twist is given in the stylistic choice of tucking them in the skirt –some of the modern boldness mentioned before.
The skirt, as one of the main characters of the show, shared the scene with multiple upper pieces, from bomber jackets made from a way less heavy material than usual, blouses with undefined structure and draped necklines, and even a couple of corset-like pieces, probably the most fitted ones in the whole collection. It seems like the hot air balloon concept didn’t just stay in the location, as some similar-shaped tops were seen as well. The presence of suspenders and some jackets and vests with belts and strings placed similarly to harnesses, plus the LV Fly Mask and LV Split Cat Eye sunglasses the models used, are reminiscent of some of the security equipment used in parachuting or similar air-related sports. Considering the theme, maybe this is not that far off of an assumption.
Towards the end of the show, the looks became darker in colour and more structured in shape, but even the night dresses were shiny fluid pieces that let themselves be shaped by the body, with a little bit of very appreciative deconstruction in the cleavage area. The more formal jackets may seem restrained compared to the rest of the collection, but Ghesquière added a couple of cuts to the lower part of them, a detail that allows the hips and legs to move freely. The thought behind the concept and the translation to the garments was evident in every look; the heritage of the house was well respected, while a new perspective on said codes was successfully brought to life.
