On Tuesday, celebrities and showgoers alike gathered at the Cour Carrée du Louvre in Paris to view Louis Vuitton’s latest collection. With the likes of Zendaya, Cate Blanchett, and Lisa watching from the front row, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Artistic Director of Women’s Collections at Louis Vuitton, presented the House’s SS25 collection, which was described as the embodiment of “soft power”.
Each piece is designed to appear as though it’s in constant movement, from the silky fabrics and layered skinny scarves billowing as models walk down the runway, to the feathered pumps that bounce and sway as the models move.
In a nod to the House’s history and enduring classic designs, the runway itself was made from stacked trunks that feature the unmistakable LV monogram in the classic brown colourways, along with colourful limited edition hues. The patchwork effect mirrored the contrasting silhouettes on the runway, which have been described as retro-futuristic, thanks to exaggerated ’80s-style shoulders, power suits, and oversized tailoring pieces paired with feminine draping, billowing handkerchief skirts, and boho-esque platform sandals.
Adding to the ambiguity of time was the inclusion of select prints taken from five art pieces by French artist Laurent Grasso, who is known for playing with the ideas of time and space in his works, and taking inspiration from cinema and art history.
This idea of being influenced by different periods through history makes sense for the collection, which plays with this idea of softness and power — said to be as opposed to one another as they are harmonious. Razor-sharp delicacy, resolute femininity, intractable lightness, and the suppleness of structure are just a few interpretations of this juxtaposition that Ghesquiere was inspired by when conceiving the collection.