Spring flowers inspire LV menswear collection
PARIS — Louis Vuitton unveiled its latest menswear collection on Thursday, using a picture-postcard scene of Paris as the backdrop for models parading in pastel colors and flowery statement pieces that evoked the joys of spring.
Around an outdoor stage, models strutted down a runway that ribboned between typical terraced cafés, ice cream stands, and giant green Parisian benches covered with the LV logo.
Artistic director Virgil Abloh, a DJ and entrepreneur as well as a fashion designer, showcased a Spring-Summer 2020 collection that featured pastel hues and playful approaches to the staples of menswear with a slick sense of street style.
Notable looks included layering of asymmetrical pleated skirts over flared trousers in cotton poplin and multicolor hoodies covered in rope embroidery.
In a monochromatic silhouette, one model wore a matching set of a concrete grey T-shirt and shorts, with a scallop-edge padded coat and a tufted monogrammed trekking backpack.
He was followed by others wearing clear plastic raincoats, parkas with floral embroidery and flowered printed pants.
Accessories included large bags containing spring flower bouquets, straw gardening hats — sometimes decorated with flowers — and footwear that consisted essentially of rubber range shoes or trainers.
Louis Vuitton, which drives the bulk of sales and profits at French luxury group LVMH, is betting on Abloh, who was hired last year, to attract a younger generation fond of logo-heavy urban clothes that leverage brand and bling.
However, his last collection, which was inspired by Michael Jackson, sparked an unusual outcry after a documentary about alleged child abuse by the late pop star. Louis Vuitton pledged not to put those items on sale in its stores.
Jackson’s family has said he was “100% innocent.” — Reuters
