March 7, 2023 |
Paris, the city, its women, its streets: Nicolas Ghesquiere’s Louis Vuitton drilled deep into the question of French style. The artist Philippe Parreno and production designer James Chinlund created an installation of a Paris street in the ballroom of the Museé d’Orsay. Its raised pavement served as the catwalk complete with a soundtrack of high heeled footsteps. The mood – grounded in reality, but made by artists – was set, but what about the clothes? Something tailored is key and an LBD. The show opened with a loosely pleated grey blazer. Strong shouldered, collarless and belted, it was worn over a little black beaded dress and high heeled correspondence booties. The model carried a mini briefcase and sported a tiny row of mirrored squares under her eyes as if she had just been in the office but was now on her way to Le Palace nightclub. There was a dilettante blurring of day and night. Belle Epoque beaded camisoles were worn with leather jeans. A beaded skirt was put with leggings and trainers.
The collection was grounded in street life, wearable and covetable. A short skirt (all the hemlines were above the knee) and a great jacket were essential to the LV French style recipe. Roomy tailored coats, oversized blousons, chunky knits, leather jeans (hand-painted with pinstripes) were all put through the proportion enhancing Ghesquiere lens. The results were wearable and wonderful. Everyday pieces were elevated by design and craft. Add heels, gloves and a proper bag – in the red, white and blue of the French tricolore – and there’s only one thing to say: Oui!
Photography courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
