Louis Vuitton catwalk show report | PFW S/S 16
We are fast approaching an age in which all of life’s experiences will be filtered through a screen. You can already see it happening, particularly at fashion shows where attendees watch the entire thing through an iPhone, thinking only of the Instagram potential of every second.
This season, these thoughts of a future experienced digitally were on Nicolas Ghesquiere’s mind. Himself known for his forward-thinking ideas and techniques, the designer used the collection to explore the juxtaposition between technology and nature.
With this in mind, Ghesquire’s army of cyberpunks marched down a catwalk surrounded by a futuristic light display (and a line of flashing iPhones). Chunky leather biker jackets were worn over asymmetrically-panelled kilts, also created from leather that had been laser-cut and in some cases, embroidered with metal detailing.
Knitwear pieces were covered, armour-like, in metallic beads arranged into geometric patterns. Indeed, the leather wrapped around the hands into fingerless gloves recalled the old-fashioned boxing glove, adding to that idea of exterior protection. A selection of utilitarian jumpsuits felt a little softer, rendered in distressed fabrics and gently belted at the waist.
But it was not all tough and androgynous. Ghesquire’s romantic white blouses, with their frilled collars and billowing sleeves, evoked a pretty retro 70s mood, particularly when worn beneath a leather waistcoat. Elsewhere, the structured crop-tops worn with leather shorts are surely perfect for festival season.
The final pieces of the collection were the most memorable. Abstract, spaceship-like patterns covered leather jumpsuits, one of which was worn beneath a psychedelically-hued jacket. The last mini-dresses had been created intelligently, covered in undulating 3D patterns and colours created from laser-cut leather. Perfect, instagrammable fodder – this is the future according to Nicolas Ghesquire.
Grace Cain
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