"The Musee d 'Orsay's bold collection and avant-garde architecture resonate with me in many ways.

It is one of the most symbolic cultural sites in Paris, from iconic clocks and once avant-garde technologies (such as photography) to paintings by modern masters, with innovation at its core."

Nicolas Ghesquiere, artistic director of Louis Vuitton women's wear, said during the Autumn/Winter 2022 women's show a year ago.

Now, one year later, Ghesquiere once again chose to set the show venue of Louis Vuitton's new women's collection, determined to interact with this museum that combines classical temperament and modern connotation, and invited contemporary French artist Philippe Parreno to participate in it.

Parreno's artistic work spans film, installation, performance, painting and text, and he specializes in presenting Spaces as a whole, using sound, light and installation to create immersive experiences.

In this Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2023 women's show, Parreno, together with art director James Chinlund and composer Nicolas Becker, "curated" a wonderful space under the dome of the Muse d 'Orsay to answer questions about "What is French style?" This elusive but intriguing question.

When the show officially opened, the special spotlights around the runway were lit up with the crystal chandelier hanging in the museum dome, the black matte rivets in the background were juxtaposed with the elegant gold lacquer pattern on the wall of the exhibition hall, and a catwalk simulating the brick path of Paris after the rain was set up on the retro wooden floor.

The beauty of contradiction

In the same way, combining a bold and traditional perspective, the source of this collection is based on many contradictory elements, and Ghesquiere continues to push the boundaries of materials, shapes and dress codes.

The opening looks clearly and precisely set the tone of the whole show: the modern suit cut and silhouette were given the classical clothing culture of the sleeve, the common in the Rococo period of the puffy skirt wrinkles appeared on every edge from the jacket to the trousers, and even directly in the striped suit fabric pleated to create a false look.

The see-through dress that follows is intended to rewrite the definition of rustic and luxurious.

From a distance, the metal studs of different sizes twinkle and flow on the skin like bubbles in champagne, and the hollowed details seem to outline a very attractive animal pattern; On closer inspection, the slightly worn texture of these nails and the jagged raw edges around the hollow seem to be the texture of the rubbings on the cobblestones of the streets of Paris.

Contrast has always been Ghesquiere's forte, and this is especially evident in the collision of silhouette and fabric.

Large areas of cloth and knitting appear in the three-dimensional cut cocktail dress, the asymmetric wool material in the slim dress with loose stacked casual knitwear, the silhouette coat cuff and the strapless skirt of the dramatic integration of the underarm, these intentional contrast, but bring unexpected fantastic experience.

The silk halters dress, which should be smooth and smooth, also "pretends" to be covered with stripes and plaid of the suit world, and is reshaped into a straight outline like the suit pant line. On the contrary, the suit shape becomes unprecedentedly soft under the support of wool and velvet, and the pant line disappears, replaced by the pant leg that moves with the pace.

Of course, Ghesquiere does not forget to show off his skills in the source of the garment, the seemingly unfinished cut pieces, some from the front of the suit vest, some abstractly depicting the general outline of the Louis XIII collar, and the oversized disco collar with the chain decoration, Both add a touch of playfulness to the otherwise simple and elegant dark print dress and shirt dress.

French gene

Since this show is meant to answer the question "What is French style?"

Therefore, references to French traditional history and modern culture are inevitable. In Ghesquiere's view, these elements are not only attributed to a specific scene and system, just like in the preview video before the show. The blue, white and red Louis Vuitton flag, the colors of the French national flag, hangs under the delicate glass ceiling and metal structural skeleton of the Musee d 'Orsay, combining France's past and present.

Ghesquiere's use of blue, white and red in the design is not bold but it is enough to complete the finishing touch, from the grille on the handbag to the interwoven musical instrument pattern in the woven sweater, to the leather stitching gloves of the racing style, which also leads to another symbol of French culture - racing car. Paris is the site of the first official motor race in history (1887), and thanks to the prosperity of motorsport, the International Racing Federation was founded here in the early 20th century, and its headquarters are still located in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

The exquisite embroidery of the French court is also reflected in the modern dress code, and the elaborate sequins and beads that once embellished the train have been moved up the chest and neckline by Ghesquiere.

He removed the huge pegs from the historical documents, leaving only the outermost embroidery patterns, which he restored to the flesh-colored skirts resembling petticoats. The fine jacquard on the velvet fabric seems to let people see the exquisite home textiles of Louis XIV era.

Ghesquiere continues to trace the history, and strives to try a variety of fusion possibilities, these dazzling and blurred patterns and processes, but also contains the French fashion culture behind the context.

Paisley printing was brought back to France by Napoleon from his expedition in the mid-18th century, and then the craze spread from Paris to the upper class of Europe; The neat and delicate French lace lines are attributed to the "Royal lacemaking Institute" set up in France during the period of Louis XIV; The super-long neckline studded with rhinestones echoes the disco trend of the 1970s; The fabrics, which are interwoven with gold and silver threads and jewel colors, are no doubt Ghesquiere's new discoveries in French historical archives, blurring their age and bringing their old, heavy aesthetic into the modern wardrobe.

It is worth mentioning that several kinds of luminous glasses can not be ignored in the show, reflecting the future in the design of looking back at the history inspiration and stopping to create reality.

Heart beats, birds, musical ensembles, ambulances, rain, telephones... Different from the strong rhythm of the previous season's show soundtrack, composer Nicolas Becker created a series of sound effects from the everyday street scene, and even the secular sense of "noise" for this show, which not only seamlessly integrates with the brick effect floor conceived by Philippe Parreno, Perhaps also hinting at Ghesquiere's inner desire, this is a collection that could easily be worn to the street.

In addition to the amazing creative ideas that crisscrossed the runway, Ghesquiere's focus this season was also on more down-to-earth and realistic designs, with well-textured cashmere coats, velvet suits, slightly loose silhouettes and knitted skirts, and long scarves on models' necks, all a testament to his work taken from and returned to the everyday.

Even if the deconstruction and reorganization of racing suits and gowns is not new in Ghesquiere's previous career, but in the fall 2023 collection, it is still a bright sight, the overall has become more smooth and calm.

The futuristic streamlined design and superior fabrics combine to create a nearly perfect fashion form, which is a style that people dare to try and are happy to wear on the street.

At the same time, he also cleverly integrated Louis Vuitton's luggage tradition into the design of the clothing series, and gave it real functionality. The concave and concave texture of the leather trench coat can be found in the Epi leather of the brand's luggage products, and the shoulder of the coat simulates the leather wrapping treatment of the edge of the hard box. It can also reduce wear and tear during wearing.

In practical terms, Nicolas Ghesquiere has made an immediate shift this season, moving away from serious classics and avant-garde ideas to integrate them into women's wardrobes in a soft and flattering way.

"I always listen to the girls in the studio and the women around me, what they want, what they need," he told the press after his Louis Vuitton debut.

Now, as Nicolas Ghesquiere enters his tenth year at the helm of Louis Vuitton's women's creative department, he has not only fulfilled the needs that have been ringing in our ears, but also exceeded our expectations.