Nicolas Ghesquière has dazzled once again with his latest ready-to-wear collection, showcased at the Champs-Élysées on Monday 2nd of October 2023. Known for creating transformable worlds for his shows to reside in, the creative director has once more crafted an immersive experience for guests in attendance of Louis Vuitton’s much anticipated Paris Fashion Week appearance.
The walls of the venue were draped in bright orange plastic and adorned with the famous LV logo, providing a vivid backdrop for both the house ambassadors and models alike. The runway itself, custom-built by American production designer James Chinlund to resemble the inside of a hot air balloon, was representative of Ghesquière's love of travel. In a recent interview at his 2024 resort show, Ghesquière said “Vuitton is a luxury brand but it’s about function, it provides a service: to travel better. Mobility is important in clothes.”
Mimicking the light, breezy aesthetic of the hot air balloon were the clothes themselves, with items like silk blouses and double-layered flowing skirts taking center stage to capture the essence of a contemporary travel-ready wardrobe. These delicate garments were paired with more structured pieces, such as bustier corset tops, sculptured A-line minis and suspenders to provide a striking balance and creating never-before-seen silhouettes. Bold patterns including graphic stripes and checkerboard make a welcome feature, elevating the “tourist” aspect of the collection and allowing inspiration of quintessential Parisian Fashion to shine through. Accompanying these ensembles were new accessories such as the circular LV logo handbag, crisscross bags, white tights and the hip-slung leather belt.
House ambassadors Zendaya, Jaden Smith, Ana de Armas, Cate Blanchett, Phoebe Dynevor, Saoirse Ronan, and more were in attendance. Referencing his earlier shows, such as the supersized "monster flower" from Spring-Summer 2023, Zendaya hails this show as being "very much in his design style, but also very different." Speaking of the collection itself, she says "Art evolves and grows, and that's part of being an artist - True artists are never afraid to take risks.”
