After a standout show in Paris, Nicolas Ghesquière comes back to Shanghai to present the Maison’s Pre-Fall 2024 collection, in collaboration with artist Sun Titian. How did he do?
Inside a brutalist building, color is found. Pale pink, bright orange, electric blue, calming green. There are animals, too: tigers, penguins, dogs, rabbits. Silhouettes that look flighty take flight—from Europe to Asia, this is where Nicolas Ghesquière traveled for the Pre-Fall 2024 collection of Louis Vuitton.
RELATED: MEGA Lookbook: Modern Boho Outfit Ideas as Seen in Coachella
For a collection straddling the divide between sun-drenched warmth and moonlit chill, a juxtaposition emerges: vibrant floral motifs intertwine with sleek, lanky clothing, creating a contrast reminiscent of a wildflower breaking through concrete. Moreover, it’s a collaboration with artist Sun Yitian, whose colorful and stylistic energy becomes animated in animalistic forms.
Prints are like the quirky guests at a dinner party—they mingle and mix, creating a cacophony of patterns. Whether you’re smitten with the eclectic combination or scratching your head in confusion, one thing’s for sure: it’s all about perspective. Fashion, much like life, is subjective, and what works for one may not work for another. Yet, in the context of the season, these mixed prints find their groove, harmonizing with the changing landscape of style like an erratic seat plan at a chaotic dinner party.
As the day turns into night, the clothes undergo a metamorphosis fit for a chameleon. Parachute pants take flight, ready for a sky-high adventure, while layered skirts sweep the floor, dancing the rhythm of the night. Leather belts cinch the waist while blazers are already constructed to look cinched, creating an illusion that could make even a skeleton envious. If you’re feeling sexy or not, it’s all in the eye of the beholder—after all, confidence is the ultimate accessory.
As the collection unfolds, it’s like embarking on a scavenger hunt, where Easter eggs of past influences are cleverly hidden, waiting to be discovered. Hints of SS24’s love affair with travel peek through, whisking us away to the streets of Shanghai—a city where millions traverse its streets for both business and pleasure. In the case of this Louis Vuitton show, it’s a little bit of both: enthusiasts who have made fashion both their worlds.
Behold the balloon silhouettes, standing tall and proud like the main attraction; the star, or the ball, of the show. They float above the rest, illuminated and bulbous, attracting attention like a moth to a flame—or in this case, like a crowd to a balloon at a carnival.
The Pre-Fall collection, much like the Resort lineup, doesn’t always hog the limelight in the Maison’s grand narrative. It’s more of a tasty appetizer or a sweet dessert, crafted to whet the audience’s appetite without stealing the show. Think of it as a standalone story—a flavorful addition to the saga, rather than a prequel, sequel, or even a side quest. It’s a bite-sized treat that adds depth to the overall experience.
Much like an appetizer that fills you up or a trailer that gives away too much, or even inside a brutalist building where color finds a way to adhere to the flashing lights during closing, there are tinges of Louis Vuitton to be found. It flames up in the air of sufficiency, encountered by a balloon dress. Maybe it’s flown by it, too. And that’s sufficient enough.
Photos and Featured Image: LOUIS VUITTON
