Presented in the Cour Carrée at the Louvre, Nicolas Ghesquière returns to the venue where he showed his first collection for Louis Vuitton exactly ten years ago on March 5th, 2014. This time, the set has once again been conceived by artist Philippe Parreno and James Chinlund, the music by sound designer Nicolas Becker, and many of the same editors and friends of the brand recclaim their seats. The Fall/Winter 2024 show did diverge in one unique way, though. This time, among the thousands of guests were Louis Vuitton store managers from around the world and store employees from across France, all invited to revel in this anniversary.
It’s funny how ten years can go by in the blink of an eye. Luckily, we have a trove of innovations and unforgettable moments that have punctuated Ghesquière’s years.
When first tasked with leading this fabled fashion house, it’s safe to say the pressure was on to live up to its heritage and mine from its many chapters. But now, with a decade under his belt, the designer has his moment to look back at his own imprint. With this collection, he doesn’t just celebrate these years but maps them out for us, evoking memories of his past collections and rewriting them for now.
The references ranged in subtltly, with tinges of recurring silhouettes, cuts and ornate embroidery, but treated with a refreshed lens. Reading like a compendium of his greatest hits, there was plenty of architectural tailoring, signature plays on colour, generous helpings of volume and even silk prints of iconic LV-monogrammed trunks.
As it all flew down the runway, painting a coherent picture of this world he has built, one thing that was made clear was the absence of trends. Ghesquière has always designed with a purity of vision, and it’s this unwavering compass that has seen the house flourish under his guidance.
Naturally, the show closed to a standing ovation for the designer, who took a modest bow and beamed with pride. Yes, ten years really can go by in a flash, but this is clearly the work of someone who still has plenty more to offer.
