Today marked a pivotal moment in the fashion world with Virgil Abloh unveiling his debut collection as the Artistic Director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton. All eyes were on him, as many were still adjusting to the surprise of his appointment. And he delivered spectacularly.
The event took place at the familiar Palais Royale gardens, but the similarities ended there. Rows of several thousand specially invited students, dressed in color-blocked Louis Vuitton rainbow gradient T-shirts, lined the venue, reflecting the impossibly long rainbow runway. Virgil made it clear that he was opening the doors to the fans and fulfilling a promise he made in a Vogue.com preview earlier that morning: “I want a young generation to come in and know, hey, there’s someone here who’s listening, and speaking back to them.”
The students were thrilled, bringing a wave of grateful, smiling faces to a fashion show—a refreshing sight. It was a positive celebration of achievement and a hopeful look towards the future. The casting was incredibly diverse, with a world map on each seat showing the origins of the models and their parents, aptly titled “We Are The World.” This was a clever nod to Vuitton’s travel heritage while showcasing one of the most diverse casts seen to date.
The show notes, titled “The Vocabulary According to Virgil Abloh,” served as a glossary of terms, beginning with “Accesomorphosis – A portmanteau describing the transformation of an accessory into a garment, effectively evolving its functional form.” It was a brilliant yet straightforward concept: LVMH is renowned for its accessories and bags, so why not evolve the clothing to incorporate these elements? Jackets, shirts, and tops featured 3-dimensional pockets large enough to replace bags, solving an age-old menswear dilemma.
One of the most touching moments came at the show’s finale when Abloh walked out to an instrumental version of “Ghost Town” from his mentor Kanye West’s latest album. He gave a thumbs up before joining Kim, where he broke into tears. The two embraced, soaking in the significance of the moment. And indeed, it was a moment of great importance.