Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2025 Collection Explores The Meaning Of Soft Power
Nicolas Ghesquière toys with the playful paradox that is soft power.
By Windy Aulia - published
Fashion people love drama; after all, drama creates attention, and attention makes people sit up and take notice. Such is the formula that’s been going around in fashion since time immemorial. But there’s something more subtle yet striking about the Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2025 collection. It feels more, dare we say, relaxed. While it is definitely not dramatic, there is no doubt it still commands attention.
Instead of tackling the collection from his usual out-of-this-world lens—packed with futuristic, time- or genre-bending elements, and shape-shifting signatures—Nicolas Ghesquière, Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton’s Women collection, chose to revisit the wardrobe of a modern woman by redefining the fashion paradox that is soft power. So, who is she, and what does soft power actually mean? Let’s find out.
One of the many great things about Ghesquière is his focus on exploring the wardrobe of the modern Louis Vuitton woman, even from the start of his stewardship at the French house. The woman that he has in mind is a well-travelled, stylish and self-assured one. And by the look of Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2025 line-up, this season, she is opting for great versatile pieces that she can pack and carry with her, and wear however her heart desires.
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Take the first few jackets at the beginning of the show, for example. The puffed sleeves, pulled-in waists and peplum hems alone are enough to be a conversation starter, while the way that they were worn on the runway—open and layered with bare legs or striped bicycle shorts—suggest a more relaxed side that feels utterly modern. Of course, these cool toppers can be equally commanding when worn with jeans or skirts, while still keeping the same attitude. The same thing can be said about the louche drop-waist tunics. Layered on top of what can only be called Ghesquière’s looser take on Capri pants, the outlook appears less rigid.
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Ghesquière is a master at playing with proportions and juxtaposing fabrics, texture and colours. And all of those aforementioned great pieces come in an array of textiles like cotton jersey, silk georgette, tweed, and even velvet with playful tassel details. Speaking of which, throughout the collection, we see an assortment of surface decorations on top of jackets and dresses, such as tone-on-tone studs and diamantes, ruffles and feathers as well as other decorative elements including the ubiquitous wallpaper-style floral and chevron motifs.
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Ghesquière’s ultimate flex in the pursuit of highlighting the meaning of soft power lies in the collection’s dress line-up. He created a series of dresses with an ingenious mix of sharp lines, sturdy shoulders and strong silhouettes, done in the most fluid of fabrics. It may not be obvious to the eye, but this is no easy feat. Each coloured panel, pleat and fold on those dresses works alongside the other graphic elements to achieve the ‘soft power’ illusion.
The other great thing about Ghesquière is his ability to make the unfamiliar become familiar, and vice versa. Respectfully, his intention has never been to reinvent the wheel. He’d rather ask us to look at things from a different perspective. On that note, he fashioned the spring/summer 2025 runway from a rising stack of colourful Louis Vuitton trunks that fit perfectly like a bunch of Tetris cubes. The trunks’ geometry was a beautiful contrast to the fluidity of the looks.
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LV Biker bags.
Lastly, and another thing worth noting from the collection, is the spring/summer 2025 accessories. Strappy heels are shaped like leather handles, while Louis Vuitton’s new signature bag, the LV Biker, with its structured yet supple design, beautifully sums up the soft-power paradox.
Models: Ella Dalton/Elite Paris, Mary Chuikova/Ford Models, Juju Gillo/Ford Models, Larissa Moraes/IMG Models
In collaboration with Louis Vuitton.