Drive, skate, vote: Vuitton closes Paris Fashion Week with slogans

PARIS — French luxury label Louis Vuitton last Tuesday showed off its latest collection on the last day of Paris Fashion Week, featuring slogans splashed onto tops and dresses in pop colors — and which included a sweater stating “Vote.”

The look was the first one to cross the runway — housed inside a spectacular Art Deco building in Paris — and was followed by others like “Skate” or “Bounce,” on outfits with a skater-vibe.

The brand, owned by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH , provided no specific context for the slogans, though the show comes weeks before the US presidential election.

Vuitton’s womenswear designer Nicolas Ghesquiere said in show notes that the collection was focused on the increasingly fluid boundaries between genders, with some oversized T-shirt styles for instance which could be masculine or feminine.

“On some styles, prints are made up of words that are like positive injunctions,” Ghesquiere added. “I wanted to transliterate an energetic, vigorous, daring collection.”

Vuitton held the socially distanced show — one of only a handful of physical catwalk events in Paris this season due to the coronavirus pandemic — inside La Samaritaine, a recently renovated 150-year-old department store owned by LVMH.

It had been due to re-open around April but the launch was postponed after the pandemic hit, and the building is still not open to the public.

Models more oversized trench coats over some looks, paired with clog-style shoes, while other styles echoed a futuristic vibe often channeled by Ghesquiere, including crop tops with elaborate sleeves and shiny, silver jumpsuits.

Vuitton, which is known for the handbags that drive revenues at the brand, showcased some in bright green, and others with chunky chains as straps.

(View the show here: )

HOLLYWOOD GLAMOR FROM CHANEL
French fashion label Chanel brought a touch of tinseltown to the Paris runway on Tuesday, with glamorous feathered gowns and a nod to the Hollywood sign, recreated to spell out the brand’s name.

Models paraded in and out of the giant “Chanel” lettering, transposed from the hills of Los Angeles to the interior of Paris’ Grand Palais exhibition hall, as guests perched on stools at the socially distanced show.

Chanel’s latest outing showcased inspiration drawn from Hollywood’s 1950s heyday — with a French touch.

A short film released before the show paid tribute to actresses such as Jeanne Moreau and Romy Schneider who caught the eye of American directors but also starred in French classics at the time.

Looks included off-the-shoulder evening gowns and feathered black-and-white dresses, while designer Virginie Viard — who took over last year from the late Karl Lagerfeld — brought out new twists on Chanel’s classic tweed suits.

Models wore tweed jackets over silky shorts, while shift dresses included trompe l’oeil details such as pockets on the back. The collection also featured dashes of bubblegum pink and logo-heavy pyjama style tops.

(View the show here )

A-listed guests included singer and actress Vanessa Paradis and her daughter Lily-Rose Depp. Chanel would normally invite its clients from around the world to attend catwalk shows, though many were absent due to travel restrictions linked to the pandemic. — Reuters