Title: Louis Vuitton’s African-Inspired Collection Shines Amidst a Sizzling Paris Morning
This morning in Paris was ablaze with heat as we sat beneath clear plastic sheets in the picturesque gardens of the Palais Royal, adjacent to the renowned Buren columns. The intense warmth perfectly matched Louis Vuitton’s collection, which featured African influences reminiscent of the Serengeti plains and 1970s London’s Kings Road. This resulted in a vibrant fusion of punk, biker, and safari styles. Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director, Kim Jones, credited Frank Marshall’s “Renegades” portrait series of Botswana biker gangs as a source of punk inspiration, though his British background was also evident. Jones honed his skills at Alexander McQueen before moving to Dunhill, and then to Vuitton in 2011.
Collaborating for the second time with London’s notorious art duo Jake and Dinos Chapman, Jones incorporated their whimsical drawings of giraffes and zebras into the collection. The Chapman brothers were present in the front row, engaging with Kate Moss and David Beckham before the show. Amidst discussions dominated by today’s Brexit vote and a strong pro-remain sentiment within the creative community, the event celebrated unity. This was reflected in the diverse casting and the blend of punk utility with Vuitton’s trunk-making tradition. As described in the show notes: “tartan walking hand-in-hand with Maasai checks; the handcrafts of Africa link to French savoir-faire.”
The collection’s standout pieces included punk-inspired mohair sweaters adorned with giraffe and antelope prints, which were both refreshing and strikingly effective. Impeccably crafted silver punk accessories featuring heavy locks, chains, chokers, feathers, and keys demanded attention. These locks, or Lockits, were created in collaboration with UNICEF, with $200 from each sale aiding the fight against AIDS in South Africa.
Backstage, Jones mentioned “traveling back to the blueprint, using the old to create something new,” a sentiment that resonated with the present moment. We seek conversations that cross borders and continents, recognizing that we are stronger together.