IN THE KNOW
Through Nicolas Ghesquière’s spring/summer 2020 ready-to-wear collection, Louis Vuitton takes us on a journey across eras and showcases the maison’s timeless savoir-faire
LOUIS VUITTON’S SPRING/SUMMER 2020 ready-to-wear collection presents a concept as layered as its most complex look. For one, Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière has created what is arguably the maison’s most romantic and feminine collection to date. Thematically, Ghesquière continues to look to the future with one foot firmly in the past, as the collection dips into the aesthetics of Belle Époque–era Paris while taking references from the 1970s.
The Belle Époque, aka the Beautiful Age, was an important period of French history spanning from the 1870s to the 1910s, from after the Prussian War to the eve of World War I. It saw an explosion in the arts and literature and, most importantly, the emancipation of women. Interestingly, it was in this era that the house of Louis Vuitton was born. In terms of fashion aesthetics, the Belle Époque was marked by extravagant silhouettes: puffy sleeves, pleats, lace, and ruffles.
From the 1970s, meanwhile, Ghesquière has taken a wealth of vintage elements, from wide pants and psychedelic prints so characteristic of the era, along with blazers, trousers, loafers and other pieces borrowed from the men’s collections. Last but not least, graphic prints from 1990s movies further drove home the “time travel” theme.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Louis Vuitton collection without the presence of the maison’s renowned savoir-faire—the exquisite know-how that is inherent to the brand and is evident in each piece. A particularly impressive case in point would be the embroidered bi-colour top in jersey and sequins, which requires Louis Vuitton artisans to cut chevron stripes embroidered with sequins. Another show-stealer, the landscape pattern dress in cotton and linen, meanwhile, features handembroidered golden sequins.
The delicate touch of Louis Vuitton’s artists is also quite evident in the construction of the pleated silk georgette crêpe of the collection’s tulip dress, as well as the floral guipure lace trimmings across the dress’ ruffled sleeves. No-less impressive is the flower lace embroidery on cotton and silk tulle for the flower pattern dress, which is accompanied by petal edges.
The thematic elements of Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2020 ready-to-wear collection is an interesting showcase of how timeless some aesthetics can be. The way the maison handles the construction and ornamentation of the pieces making up the collection, on the other hand, showcases the timelessness of Louis Vuitton’s savoir-faire and the contemporary way in which it upholds traditional techniques.