One of the most longed for shows this season was Louis Vuitton’s F/W '14 collection.
LOUIS VUITTON CRUISE COLLECTION 2017
June 03, 2016 5:00 PM
It takes a certain kind of confidence for a designer to stage a collection in front of one of the most striking buildings in modern architecture, overlooking the magnificent cliffs and waterfront of one of the most exciting cities in the world. But Nicolas Ghesquière has built his formidable career on taking chances and following his own internal muse. The 47 looks he sent down the runway at his Resort 2017 show at the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in buzzing Rio de Janeiro, more than held their own against their spectacular backdrop.
Over 500 guests from the global fashion elite, and celebrities such as Alessandra Ambrosio, Jaden Smith, Catherine Deneuve and singer/actress Zendaya sat on colorful benches snaked throughout the outdoor deck of the Niterói as models paraded down a lengthly crimson ramp emerging from the museum. The colorful, sporty collection reflects Ghesquière's ongoing obsession with leather and scuba-inspired silhouettes without neglecting the Vuitton legacy of exceptional handbags. Lush multi-pocked bags worn around the waist or carried (please don't dare call them fanny sacks) in black and white, a boom box purse equipped with Bluetooth to play music, and the Pliage, a joyful, swingy little masterpiece with a foot of fringe hanging down are all in line with Ghesquière's mission to nod to the past but move fearlessly forward by creating new LV classics.
But the star of the show was incontrovertibly the clothes: body conscious without being indiscrete, colorful without being clownish, and sophisticated but never hoary. The show opened with a series of color block dresses with high-low asymmetric hems and strategic cutouts around the body in bold blues, blacks and greens with mixed textiles and leather trims. For the woman whose holiday will be spent in a cooler climate, there is an exceptional leather belted car coat, red and black track pants, and a black leather and brown suede jacket. Black cargo pants in meticulously shaved leather, crafted by the artisans at the LV facility in Asnières-sur-Seine are the kind of flattering, wearable wardrobe staple that one might find it a challenge to NOT want to wear daily, in any climate.
Indeed, the marriage of Ghesquière's passion for leather with the Vuitton house's immaculate leather know-how is a union of both love and convenience, and the designer did not hesitate to sprinkle his resort collection with classical silhouettes rendered in leather. Snap-front A-line minis, a blue suede strapless A-line dress with black trim and studded leather vests were fresh reinventions of 60s hippie chic without disseminating the slightest whiff of pachouli. Amidst the sporty and wearable separates, there were still plenty of options for girly-girls at summer weddings. In particular, his segment of dresses with ruffles on the bust and hips are perfect for dancing all night in a Rio disco or attending a garden party in the Hamptons. And a handful of dresses in black florals with puffy sleeves are just the thing for an emo moment or if your ex and your bestie happen to invite you to their summer nuptials.
From his earliest days at Balenciaga, where he reinvented a storied brand and made it relevant to a new generation, and throughout his two year tenure at Luis Vuitton, Ghesquière has always spoken about his passion for exploring dualities. He describes the Resort 2017 collection as a "pictorial explosion" of the duality between nature and urbanism, modernism and tropicality. He cites the influence of Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica's "clothes of light," in his use of parachute fabric and bright colors. Ghesquière also pays homage to Aldemir Martins, and uses imagery from his famous Pele painting in several pieces including a handbag and a dress. Overall, he describes his greatest inspiration as the Brazilian notion of gambiarra, "the transformation of the available into the essential." But regardless of the sources of his mishmash of his influences, it is undeniable that 45-year-old Ghesquière is one of the most brilliant creative directors working in fashion today, and has just presented one of the most iconic, wearable and memorable collections of his career. As they say in Rio, muito bem.
WRITTEN BY KAREN FRAGALA-SMITH
EDITED BY SUSAN SCHELL
PHOTO CREDIT: LOUIS VUITTON
related posts
New Era for Marc Jacobs Beauty and NARS
Mature models are becoming more common as contemporary icons of fashion and beauty companies.
Clean Up On Aisle No. 5
Karl Lagerfeld has extended the shelf life of the legendary Chanel brand by transforming the Grand Palais into an avant-garde supermarket to present the F/W '14 collection.
Dior x Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence has steadily become Hollywood's favorite sweetheart and she continues to maintain her it-girl status in the fashion world as the face of Dior’s fall collection.
Gucci F/W '14
Knee-length black boots were quite the trend at the Gucci Fall/Winter '14 show in Milan. The boots were a great contrast to the pastel and light colored, modest mini dresses.
TWELV MAGAZINE NYFW '14 FASHION PARTY AT DL LOUNGE
Twelv Magazine had a successful party during New York Fashion Week at the DL Lounge. Not even the snowstorm could stop us that night from enjoying the party with an amazing, fashionable and cool...
A.P.C. collaborates with M/M Paris, creates your new favorite T-shirt
M/M was most recently called upon to collaborate with A.P.C.
Skingraft F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
In the coal black night, all was chaos, as if someone or something had disrupted the spirits of the dead.
Alice + Olivia F/W2014 Accessories Report
Alice + Olivia's FW '14 show was, quite literally, magical. From Snow White, to Rapunzel, the princesses were all present wearing the most fanciful clothing and sporting the most amazing...
Alice + Olivia NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
Stacey Bendet took us deep into an enchanted realm of past and present during New York Fashion Week.
G-Star X Pharrell Collaboration: RAW FOR THE OCEANS
Following the debut of his now infamous Vivienne Westwood (or Arby’s if you're feeling sassy) hat at the 2014 Grammy’s, Pharrell announced his plans for a different kind of fashion statement...
Charlotte Ronson's Hopelessly Romantic NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR /Backstage
Charlotte Ronson FW14 gave us another take on floral prints for the winter season by paring the print on luxurious velvet and darker colors.
Jeremy Scott × Moschino NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
The fashion industry has waited months for this day to arrive, and now it is finally here: Jeremy Scott’s first collection for Moschino.
Christian Siriano ”My Fair Lady” NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR at a glance
Who doesn’t love a sophisticated lady, wide brimmed hat tipped to one side, wasp waste dress, heels, and a whole lot of class.
John Rocha F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
“The arsonist was a friend of mine,” I heard a girl with a sideways ponytail and six-inch platform shoes say, in a soft Scandinavian accent, whilst waiting in the queue for the John Rocha show.
The Bucolic Life of pas de calais F/W2014 Collection
During New York fashion week TWELV had the honor of viewing the exquisite and sophisticated F/W 14 collection of Japanese label, pas de calais.
THIS WEEK'S PARTIES
The second half of Fashion Week has certainly been a little slower than the first.
Tadashi Shoji F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
TWELV sent our photographer, Sharon Zobali, to cover Tadashi Shoji’s fall-winter 2014 runway show.
Nudie Jeans – The Naked Truth
There is a cult of denim followers, a subculture if you must, as prominent as the free spirited and tattooed Harley Davidson riders.
NYFW Party Time!
To celebrate the success of the first official day of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, TWELV first dove into a roaring atmosphere at Electric Room, where ARDENCY INN hosted their event.
DETAILS Magazine PARTY
To start off New York Fashion Week in proper fashion, Details Magazine had their March Cover Party last night.
TWELV Luxe NYFW Beauty Survival Guide
1. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, $33.00 - Fashion Week is a morning to night marathon, and this primer works well at not only priming your face for the days makeup, but also...
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SURVIVAL GUIDE
Last year, I moved from London to New York and experienced my first New York Fashion Week. It was everything I wanted and more as promised by this great city’s fashion world.
Fashion Week Preview
For the fashion industry, magic materializes twice a year emerging from the runways, seeping through Manhattan, and this season, extending over the East River to Brooklyn.
Miu Miu Spring Campaign Video
A fresh generation of talent literally flashes before our eyes in Miu Miu’s Spring 2014 ready-to-wear advertising video.
Fashion makes its way to Sochi
Although Fashion Week is probably top of mind for the masses in the fashion industry, there is another major, global event on its way - the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Linda Rodin for The Row
Skin care mogul, Linda Rodin, 65, was headhunted by the Olsen sisters themselves to be their lead model in The Row’s Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook.
Rihanna x Balmain
Rihanna has landed a contract with one of the world’s most famous fashion houses, Balmain, for their SS '14 ad campaign.
Miley Cyrus x Marc Jacobs
The young pop icon does not rest for a second, and she seems more present than ever.
The Dazzling World of Erickson Beamon
Detroit native Karen Erickson has created a name and brand for herself by solidifying the true essence and beauty of fine jewelry.
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #5: MANAGING EDITOR KRISTIN LIMOGES
1. Tom Ford Tabacco Vanille - $210 for 1.7 ounces - I'm obsessed with this scent, it's masculine and smells like vanilla, cocoa, tobacco flower, and wood rolled all together.
Exclusive Debut of Morgan Lane Lingerie short film
Morgan Curtis, Jill Stuart’s eldest daughter, recently introduced her first solo fashion project using her passion for illustration to create the lingerie and sleep ware brand named Morgan Lane....
CHANEL Métiers d’Art DALLAS SHOW
As if Lagerfeld did not have enough on his agenda throughout the year, he decided to go over the top fabulous with a Dallas cowboy-inspired theme for Chanel’s pre-fall 2014 show.
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #4: ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR LUCY ROGERS
1.
METRO GIRL
TWELV's Exclusive Fashion Story"METRO GIRL" is now available!
Check inside for the Editorial, excerpt from "Issue 4"
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #3: Fashion Editor Molly
1. SHWOOD “Canby” Wood Sunglasses $185 - These sunglasses are a charming and fresh finish to any look.