All Aboard The Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2025 Train

When Louis Vuitton launched its first flat-topped trunk in 1858, it quietly changed the way the world travelled. No longer did luggage have to be cumbersome and curved; Vuitton’s canvas trunks were waterproof, secure and, most importantly, stackable in the new compartments of Europe’s railway system. That small innovation made long-distance journeys more practical and elegant, setting the tone for a house whose DNA has always been deeply ingrained with the spirit of travel. 

Over the decades, Louis Vuitton’s creative directors have revisited this code in different ways. Marc Jacobs famously rolled a steam train into the Louvre courtyard for fall/winter 2012. This year, Nicolas Ghesquière returned to the tracks with his show. 

The setting was L’Étoile du Nord, the former headquarters of the French railway company that opened in 1845 beside Gare du Nord, one of Paris’ seven key terminals. The station was most importantly one of the city’s first links to northern Europe, a symbol of progress in its time. 

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Although decommissioned, the building has been preserved as a heritage site, and was closed to the public. The significance of the venue was amplified by the secrecy around it; the location was revealed only at the last moment, as Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore’s Creative Director Windy Aulia noted in his review. Ghesquière’s choice carried weight: he grounded his show in the same history that first gave Vuitton’s trunks their purpose.

When creating the collection, Ghesquière’s team drew from cinema’s train scenes, citing Wong Kar Wai’s 2046, Snowpiercer, Casablanca and Murder on the Orient Express. These films inspired a cast of travellers that felt drawn from every decade and destination: eclectic high society, daily commuters, modern adventurers, romantic dreamers. It was a reminder that stations are places where thousands of anonymous people cross paths, each heading towards their own destination. On the runway, the models came together as if waiting on the same platform—their varied wardrobes were a brilliant move to present a line-up designed with broad appeal. 

The outdoorsy traveller was defined by performance pieces reimagined and elevated through craft. A parka cut from technical fabric carried military accents, its voluminous silhouette adjustable with drawstrings. Crochet flap pockets softened its utility, while a cut-out chin guard punctuated the look with graphic detail. Styled with leather cargo shorts, waisted pannier bags and relaxed footwear, it carried both practicality and polish. Elsewhere, sheer raincoats and outerwear were matched with velvet skirts and leather cargo shorts, adapted for weather changes.

Checks emerged as the show’s (and one of the season’s) most consistent prints. From wool-cashmere skirts and cardigans to flouncy dresses wrapped like a picnic blanket, complete with monogrammed corners, the motif grounded the looks in a classic autumn vocabulary. 

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Romanticism came through in a velvet dévoré gown, its intricate texture layered under an oversized jacket. The contrast reflected Ghesquière’s tendency to combine opulence with wearability, as if the passenger stepping off the Orient Express still needed a coat for the platform.

Then there’s Ghesquière’s unmistakable signature. Power shoulders recalled his recurring dialogue with the 1980s while crystal-studded jerseys highlighted the Maison’s technical prowess, transforming T-shirt-like bases into eveningwear. A full-knit ensemble, complete with floor length cape and one-piece suit, recalled the beatniks of the 1970s, an elegant, minimalist ensemble that looked like it was headed for the first class cabin. 

Accessories carried the storytelling forward. Oversized hats and slouched wedge boots gave silhouettes exaggerated scale, while stacked bangles recalled chic souvenirs picked up on vacations. More striking were travel objects turned into luxury must-haves: blankets folded as arm candy, artist’s scarves tucked into coats, and monogrammed ukelele trunks.

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The slanted Petite Malle Blade bags made an appearance, with silver-tone latches and hardware corners that take inspiration from archival Vuitton trunks. It is the iconic bag’s slimmest version yet, its angled form highlighting the atelier’s unparalleled craftsmanship while recalling the blur of a high-speed train.

A show standout was the lantern minaudière, a gold trunk-shaped bag inspired by the streetlamps of Paris’s Pont Neuf. It’s a collector’s piece (currently with a long waiting list) that can function as a handbag and can also be lit from within, echoing the glow of the city at night.

The Express bag was the season’s central debut. Making its first appearance on this runway, it extended the lineage of the Speedy and the Keepall, two of the house’s most enduring icons. The Express retains the supple structure of the Speedy but with a looser silhouette, styled for contemporary ease. 

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Versions came with contrasting trims, some with Monogram canvas, others with crocodile embossing. Sizes ranged from compact to chunkier voyage-ready sizes, in multiple colourways spanning black, camel and red. With both short and long handles, it adapts across settings and works as an effortless everyday bag.

Two other bags, the Odyssée and the Catchy, will soon become new classics too. The Odyssée is a nod to the House’s Excursion backpack and named after Homer’s epic poem of Ulysses’ journey home (echoing the show’s narrative). It is structured, versatile and a practical tote for the road. The Catchy, smaller and more playful, features a removable chain and a key charm, designed for travellers to keep essentials close. Both are extensions of Vuitton’s heritage of designing luggage for diverse journeys, reimagined for today.

This line-up stood out for its balance of narrative and pragmatism. The characters were vivid and the pieces were grounded in fashion functionality: clothes designed with hidden comfort, outerwear built to withstand both weather and trends, and bags created with Vuitton’s trunk-making ethos in mind and designed for daily use.

For Vuitton, it’s a strong reminder of its DNA: travel is not a theme applied seasonally but the very reason the house exists.

Model: Rebekah Nagy/Ave Management
Makeup and hair: Grego
Stylist’s assistant: Laila Mishazira

In collaboration with Louis Vuitton.