If exaggerated forms could form the leitmotif of the latest offerings from Nicolas Ghesquiere, then the extravagant Louis Vuitton SS23 show venue in the heart of the Louvre’s Cour Carée would be it. A giant red monster flower created by visual artist Philippe Parreno stood, not unlike a circus tent, at the centre of the show space. As the curtains parted, revealing the heart of the flower from which the models emerged, a collection of fashion hyperbole unfolded.
Giant zippers and buttons decorated jackets and coats, while patterned fluted trousers and tops were cinched in with bold golden buckles that took up most of the models’ torsos. Ruffle tops with skinny pants played up the idea of extremes and looked wonderfully playful. The house’s famous bags grew in size to become gigantic luggage tag bags, and the cousin became a huge clutch casually held under the arms. The cutest coin pouch grew to new proportions, and its trailing gold chain was held almost like armour against the bag. The turn lock on the Sac Twist was also supersized, disrupting its proportions and thereby modernising it. Every look was sealed with a new rendition of the arch light sneaker, now shaped into a boot of various heights and colours.
Exaggerating forms in fashion can often fall into irony and camp, but Ghesquiere navigated these pitfalls expertly: the emphasis on luxe fabrics and materials, sequins playing off athletic silhouettes, and interposing a pair of utilitarian boots. Leather permeated the collection, elevating the collection without being bourgeois, a talent that makes Ghesquiere such a genius – and a whizz at keeping his fans and cash tills happy all season.
Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore also caught glimpses of Gemma Chan, Phoebe Dynevor and Deepika Padukone at the show, while editor-in-chief Kenneth Goh said hello to Janet Jackson and caught up with Vietnamese social media darling Chau Bui.