I
generally don’t do this, but with all the beautiful clothes coming from Paris
Fashion Week, I can’t help myself. I have to get in on the conversation and at
least highlight my favourite international designers and my magic moments from
their collections. One incredibly beautiful moment was that of
Ghanaian-American creative, Virgil Abloh, at Louis Vuitton. Only three months
in the hot seat – Abloh was named LV Men’s Artistic Director in March 2018 –
the designer did what he has always wanted to do, seemingly: Merge street with
couture. And his LEVELS have layers.
Layer
1: THE BACK STORY
Virgil
stepped into Paris Fashion Week as Louis Vuitton’s first Ghanaian-American
designer to head up the men’s division. The pressure to deliver must have been
ungodly, however, the public declaration by LVMH of Abloh’s position in the
company is a clear sign of their confidence in him and his capabilities as a
creative spirit with a vision also driven by results; whether financial or
social commentary. Abloh’s experience spans interning at FENDI + being Creative
Director at DONDA, Kanye West’s Creative Agency + founding Off-White. Through
this journey, as a young American from Chicago born of Ghanaian migrants,
Virgil had a dream to effect change through fashion and this appointment, made
material by this collection, is that dream being achieved.
Layer
2: THE PARALLEL
Virgil
has gained a level of notoriety in fashion, especially within street wear. His
work through Off-White has been a considerable conversation about the
relationship between street wear and luxury – what are its defining terms and
how do you bridge the two without losing individual credentials. In looking at
his first collection for the luxury fashion house, Virgil took to ‘The Wizard
of OZ’. An American popular culture fable about a young Dorothy who finds
herself in another world, seeking her way home, only to find adversity along
the seemingly paved road, only to make it back home in reality where OZ was a
dream. Throughout the collection, the parallels are translated in various ways,
for instance: in the opening scene in the movie the story is painted in sepia –
in the collection, Virgil opens with shades of off white. As Dorothy’s struggle
down the yellow brick road to home in Technicolor, so does Abloh’s LV
collection start to take on pops of vibrant colour.
Layer
3: THE COLLECTION
The
collection itself, amongst everything else that was happening during this
presentation, was strong and confident. It held its own. Taking its queue from
Louis Vuitton’s rich tapestry and heritage for travel, the collection embodied
an illustration of a global citizen, on the move and unflinching for their
taste for opulence. There was a level of aspiration and accessibility about the
collection, pulling in a lot of street detailing and polishing it off with
traditional atelier handcraftsmanship. The shape, albeit loose fitting and
flowing for most part, had a lot of under construction and form was fitted well
in most parts to great dynamic silhouettes. And what should a collection be
without those directional fashion items based on some key trends: sheer tees
were part in parcel of this collection, as well as the oversized
semi-constructed tailored blazer in extra length. Denim was in, and so was the
use of stylized floral motifs as the new graphic visual for prints.
The
collection was Virgil’s very own yellow brick road, paved and outlined heading
towards paradise. From a man from humble beginnings to what is looking like a
humble reign, supreme, we can only sit back and enjoy his offerings from now
on.
Watch the full show...
#parisfashionweek
#pfw #menswear #louisvuitton #virgilabloh
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