The last month of fashion shows has been unlike any other, an innovative yet undeniably scaled back season of socially distant real-life runways, high-concept short films and virtual reality experiences.
But trust Louis Vuitton, the last show on the sartorial calendar, to fuse the physical and digital to glorious effect.
The French house did two small showings at La Samaritaine near the Seine, and took the digital offering up a notch. Green screens lined the runway, and the international fashion press watching from home could swivel their cameras 360-degrees for a near-IRL experience.
The clothes, too, were futuristic and forward-thinking. In the show notes, creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere wrote that the collection “erases gender and promises exponential creative possibilities. What does an in-between garment look like? What kind of cut can dissolve masculine and feminine? What wardrobe might s/he look good in?”
The possibilities for fluid fashion were endless, with baggy chino pants, acid-wash denim shirts, skater tees and cleverly crafted expandable jackets.
But the collection was also grounded in the here and now, most pointedly with a fine knit sweater imploring the audience to “vote”. It was a fashion statement that transcended the runway, and a fitting finale to the season that was.
TRENDS
High-heeled clogs
Already sending Instagram into a spin
Maxi coat
A transeasonal layering essential.
Thick belt
Best worn with slouchy chinos
Skater tee
Splashy prints and slogans for instant street cred
More looks from Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2021 show.