By Windy Aulia - published
Many a time, Nicolas Ghesquière has come up with collections that were so daring and instinctive that in a lot of ways they appeared ahead of their time. Case in point, his recent showing for Louis Vuitton’s fall/winter 2026 womenswear collection. Entitled ‘Super Nature’, Ghesquière presented a collection with the basis of an anthropological study on the relationship between human and nature and the way nature shapes our humanity.
It’s hard to not mention the collection’s opening looks. The extreme silhouettes of stiff cloaks with peaked and rounded shoulders variations that came out on the first few exits were modelled after kepenek, worn by Anatolian shepherds in the mountains to protect them from the harsh weather conditions (kepeneks can also be used as a tent). From the Caucasus mountain to the Dutch lowlands, other nomadic culture and folkloric references also came through in the subsequent looks.
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Volume became a recurring language throughout the collection. Thick wool coats and enveloping cloaks wrapped the body in dramatic layers, sometimes extending far beyond natural proportions. Hoods were deep and protective, while sleeves were cut generously, allowing the garments to drape and move with a sense of quiet drama. The effect was both imposing and intimate: clothing that shielded the wearer while simultaneously asserting their presence.
What made these exaggerated silhouettes particularly compelling was their sense of movement. As models crossed the runway, coats swung and skirts expanded with each step, producing an almost meditative rhythm. Ghesquière’s tailoring maintained a sculptural clarity, yet never static. Tribal techniques, like patchworks and leather edgings, were utilised on some of the swinging skirts, sliced trousers and shorts. They moved and appeared shaped by imaginary winds, as though the clothes themselves were responding to the terrain of a distant landscape.
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Some silhouettes flared outward from the waist in sweeping arcs, while others used asymmetrical cuts that disrupted traditional balance. Angled hems and layered panels created subtle shifts in proportion, lending the garments a sense of unpredictability. These irregular forms echoed natural structures—rock formations, windswept dunes, uneven terrain—blurring the line between clothing and environment.
The fall/winter 2026 collection unfolded like a story of migration, resilience, and imagination. Rather than simply presenting seasonal clothing or imitating nature like some of his contemporaries had done, Ghesquière proposed a vision of fashion shaped by nature and environment, as he was fascinated by the idea of people traveling across landscapes, carrying with them fragments of history, craft, and identity. It all became both primal and futuristic, as though it belonged to a tribe navigating an unknown world.
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Here, the distinct nomadic spirit was the underlined message. Rather than referencing any one culture, Ghesquière constructed a broader fantasy of wandering communities. His own version of modern tribes whose wardrobes evolve through travel and survival. The clothes in the collection felt assembled through experience: layered tunics, structured jackets, protective outerwear, and belts that bound everything together with utilitarian precision. And as the collection suggested a person who is constantly in motion, adapting to her collective history, we couldn’t help but conclude that nature is truly the best designer.