There is one element against which even the world's leading luxury brand can do nothing: rain. On Wednesday, until the last minute, Louis Vuitton teams scanned the sky and consulted the Swiss weather in the hope of a clearing. But the microclimate of Isola Bella was not kind this time, and it was necessary to resolve to present the 2024 cruise collection in the baroque rooms of Palazzo Borromeo rather than, as originally planned, in the middle of azaleas and oleanders of the sublime gardens. In the mist, from the windows of the palace, we can see the Teatro Massimo at the top of which stands the Unicorn, heraldic symbol of the Borromeo house owner of the place since the seventeenth century...
Even the presence of Oprah Winfrey, Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, Catherine Deneuve and illustrious representatives of the Borromeo dynasty in the front row of the show will not overcome the frustration of Nicolas Ghesquière. A cruise is a bit like a wedding where you would have put your heart and your money, where you would have invested for weeks, organizing the table plan in the park of the castle ... to finally take refuge in the barnum under the downpours.
Palazzo Borromeo in Isola Bella Louis Vuitton
And yet water, it was about it in this collection. No warm water, not the kind of house, rather murky waters, which is much more interesting. More than ever, the artistic director delivered his vision without compromise. Radical, strange, seen nowhere else. To sum up this parade, we could use the words of Charles Dickens after his visit to this little piece of land on Lake Maggiore: "As bizarre and fantastic as Isola Bella may be, it is nevertheless magnificent". Thus, the 50 looks (photographed outside in the afternoon during a short clearing) carry in their wake aquatic and supernatural references less close to Disney's The Little Mermaid which comes out these days in the cinema than to the elusive creature of the waters of the American bestseller Blackwater. "A post-modern vouivre," says Nicolas Ghesquière in a document provided by the brand following the show. A legendary figure, a kind of freshwater mermaid, living in rivers, ponds and lakes. (...) She seduces men with her jewels that she places on the shore to attract them to the bottom of the water. This time, it is she who ventures on dry land to unite with the plant. The collection follows this progression from aquatic to botanical.
»Louis Vuitton Giovanni Giannoni Cruise
The French designer, an inveterate fan of anticipation, pushes the experimentation even further in the silhouette. Technical materials such as neoprene are cut into ruffled suits or designed like algae. Scales of opalescent sequins form skirts. A long silk jacquard cape is embroidered with drops of water. Silicone waves are applied to fluid jersey bustiers. Very beautiful transparent dresses are printed with Belle Époque stained glass motifs. Some models wear Atlantis-like headdresses created by a film and opera costume workshop in Rome. It's baroque, dreamlike, opulent, sometimes bizarre. But paradoxically a black cashmere man's coat, scratch-striped sweatshirts worn with very cool shorts, a jacket with tartan and leather galuchat style or the magnificent tailtail shirts entirely embroidered with conch shells and shells are also perfectly soluble in the everyday wardrobe - certainly, privileged.
Here, the girls are not ethereal creatures, they walk almost snarling - as if the rain had also annoyed them quite a bit -, wearing very successful boxing-inspired hybrid sneakers and super flat leather boots a little pirates that should be a hit! Feet on the ground, therefore, weighted by the rather large bags this season (like the sailor's bucket format in leather cob, the Hike, reinterpreted from the archives), they are finally more urban than it seems. Even if the last series of dresses cut at an angle mixing muslin and organza hive like Belle Époque cabaret outfits (up to the colors water green, apricot pink, beige satin of the women flowers and fatales of Mucha) is more intended for red carpets - "ultra blur, new register for us in the ceremonial outfit. (...) Our way of dealing with ultra-romanticism," explains Nicolas Ghesquière.
This year marks ten years since her arrival at the head of the Louis Vuitton woman. Never have the trunk maker's figures been so good. But at LVMH, we are not resting on our laurels, as claimed by the new CEO, Pietro Beccari appointed last January and who, a few minutes before the show, pretends with a smile not to have yet thought of the brand's strategy. In four months, the Dior defector and man in a hurry has already appointed Pharrell Williams as head of men's collections (the pop star came to attend the event at Isola Bella with his family) and added a women's show to the calendar! It took place a month ago in Seoul, organized in record time around a collection presented in January and which is more commercial. This show in see now buy now (delivered in store as soon as revealed) was nevertheless the one that generated the most views in the history of Vuitton on social networks. "435 million!" enthuses the Italian leader.
If he has not confirmed it, we understand that the pace of the shows will increase further as is the case at Dior and Chanel. In the kingdom of bags, we also want to develop the market share of ready-to-wear which is a very young activity at Louis Vuitton since launched in 1996 with Marc Jacobs. "Beyond the product categories, a fashion show and more particularly a cruise show invites to a complete universe. We need to make people travel. Louis Vuitton is the brand of travel, it has always been inhabited by the notions of movement and innovation, insists Pietro Beccari, delighted with the Dream Team, Ghesquière and Pharrell, now at his side. Nicolas is one of the best designers in the world, his fashion is very avant-garde, and as we have seen with this collection, it also has a very romantic dimension that is aimed at a strong, assertive woman who loves activity..." Rain or shine.
