Just three weeks after hosting its buzzy Pre-fall 2023 show on a windy night in Seoul, South Korea, Louis Vuitton takes its audience across the globe to the enchanting Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore, one of two notable and most beautiful lakes in Italy, with the other being Como that’s located an hour and 30-minute drive away. Lake Maggiore and its surrounding Borromean Islands have preserved stories of the Borromeo family for centuries, and it is said that Isola Bella was a gift from the Italian patron Carlo III Borromeo to his wife, Countess Isabella d’Adda in the 1600s.
Today, Isola Bella is known for its enchanting, Baroque-style gardens with raised green terraces and mysterious blooming flowers. It is for this magical reason that the particular location was chosen as the backdrop of Ghesquière’s Cruise 2024 show, with an impressive guest list of Hollywood A-listers to boot. In a statement to the press, the Creative Director explains, “We started with the idea that the girls were coming from the water, like mermaids of the lake, and they’re transforming into something else.”
And with that, the collection unfolded with looks comprising aquatic-inspired details—the first six ensemble spotlights a webbed neckline juxtaposed with a mix of exciting textures such as neoprene, spandex and leather. There were multiple instances of ruching on a slightly more vibrant colour palette like green, orange, yellow and blue (looks 18 to 21), reminiscent of the undulating textures of seashells.
Elsewhere, quilting and patchwork make an appearance on structured silhouettes (on looks 33 to 37), and exquisite headpieces made of feathers and scalloped metals (with some even resembling sea corals) look like they fit right at home on Ariel and her royal family. Moving on, bead and shell embellishments accentuate skirts and waistcoats, while glorious romantic layered chiffon dresses in pastels round up the presentation.
At the core of the collection, Ghesquière’s Cruise 2024 tells a story of transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In his words, it is the tale of “drifting creatures that abandon aquatic dwellings for the discovery of terrestrial wonders”. And to us, this fantastical excess and playfulness opens a whole new world of style opportunities.
See the full show below:
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