A moment of celebration. This is how the Louis Vuitton house imagined its spring-summer 2022 fashion show, which took place on Tuesday, November 30, in Miami (United States), on the sidelines of Art Basel. Two days after the unexpected death of Virgil Abloh, artistic director of the men’s collections – a rare form of heart cancer against which he had fought modestly since 2019 – the trunk maker wanted to make this event a joyful and festive tribute, to the image of the designer, who had insisted that the parade be maintained.
“The show must go on”, so. The collection, already presented in June, and embellished with ten additional silhouettes, was presented on a barge, off the Miami Marine Stadium, which the guests joined by boat. Over the past 48 hours, many personalities and friends of Virgil Abloh have asked to be invited, wishing to pay a final tribute to their fellow traveler. In total, more than 1,500 people came together.
The show being broadcast live on the brand’s social networks, we could see musicians Pharrell Williams and Kanye West in the front rows, accompanied by Kim Kardashian, tennis player Venus Williams, actor Tahar Rahim, model Bella Hadid or even the rapper ASAP Rocky. Faces closed, but not shedding tears. Silvia Fendi, Jonathan Anderson, designer of Loewe, or even Matthew Williams, artistic director of Givenchy, also made the trip. Bernard Arnault, CEO of the LVMH group, accompanied by his wife and five children, was also in the front row.
Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton, meanwhile gave a speech before the start of the parade. “The hardest thing I have ever had to give”, he confessed, evoking the visionary talent of Virgil Abloh and the almost filial bond that united them. The voice of the missing creator then echoed in the air: “ Regarding my art and my creativity, I wanted to place the cursor on the idea of adults behaving like children. Find this state of mind of wonder to better use your imagination. “
On the catwalk, the silhouettes set the pace for Abloh’s touch. A well-felt mix of hybrid references, halfway between the art of tailoring served by impeccable suits, belted and wide lapels, and the commercial reality of the moment: pieces with streetwear accents, sweat jackets or Air Force sneakers in collaboration with Nike, available in different colors… Top hats or balaclavas that eat the faces of models, imposing skirts worn over fuzzy pants, small pop and ultra colorful jackets, monogrammed travel cases, teddy jackets flocked with logos… The look is a perfect reflection of the times, when different worlds come together to assert a strong and unique silhouette.
At the end of the presentation, dozens of remote-controlled drones drew the number 7.2 in the Florida sky (reference to this reissue of 7e Virgil Abloh parade for Louis Vuitton). Then, as a finale lit by a grandiose fireworks display, the words “Virgil was here”, favorite gimmick of the American designer and premonitory title of this ultimate collection.
