The French coquettes on Louis Vuitton's Fall runway have set off for the beach. They've traded in their kinky above-the-knee lace-up boots for swashbuckling gold sequined open-toe numbers and replaced their satin and lace with nautical-stripe bustier dresses and bikinis or crisp khaki safari jackets and wide-leg, deep-cuff trousers. Bags, belts, bracelets, and shoes are trimmed with rope details, but that's about as overt as the Riviera referencing gets in this enjoyably saucy collection. A black silk plissé cocktail dress with a plunging neckline edged in gold embroidery and a tuxedo jacket that turns to reveal a sexy cutout back look just as likely to turn up at louche Paris hot spot Le Baron as they are on the boardwalk in Saint-Tropez.
