Nicolas Ghesquière has been decisive about the look and feel of Louis Vuitton’s ready-to-wear and accessories since he arrived. The links between this new Pre-Fall collection and his previous outings are clear: The zip-front minidress made its debut for Fall ’14; the sporty, color-blocked pants originally appeared last season. The echoes make his Vuitton clothes instantly recognizable, and wearing them marks you as a member of the in crowd.
Discussing the collection, Ghesquière referred to three main elements: neo-classics, sporty pieces, and steampunk. By the latter, he meant the turn-of-the-last-century shape of the lineup’s bubbly, leg-of-mutton sleeves. Designers elsewhere have latched onto the silhouette, but not with the same sense of audacity. Ghesquière has got to be the only one suggesting you wear your Victorian-shouldered sweater with motocross leggings and platform combat boots.
As deliberate and methodical as Ghesquière’s LV approach has been, Pre-Fall was not without its delightful surprises. This season he likes the look of belts cinched high under the bust and patent leather gauntlets that creep up toward the biceps. As a luggage purveyor, those elements make practical business sense. The most charming development, Look 1’s breezy, billowing parachute silk dress, was a little more off piste. It could be a promising direction for the Fall collection he’ll show in two weeks.
