PARIS (AP) 鈥 Just days after an unexploded World War II bomb near Paris' Gare du Nord briefly stole headlines, a different kind of spectacle unfolded across the street: Louis Vuittonsa国际传媒 fashion show extravaganza Monday evening.
The only explosions here at were in fabric, form and a frenetic imagination. When emerged for his bow, the audiencesa国际传媒 adulation reached a fever pitch, so much so that , in a rarely seen display of exuberance, leapt to her feet to plant a kiss on him.
A station steeped in mystery
The setting was 鈥淟鈥櫭塼oile du Nord,鈥 described by Louis Vuitton as 鈥渁 hidden station where past and future travelers converge, evoking the golden age of railway adventure.鈥 The show took place in this historic 1845 building, originally constructed for the Compagnie du Nord railway company to house its offices. Its atrium was meticulously transformed into a grand train station waiting room for the ready-to-wear display, reinforcing the theme of travel, anticipation, and adventure 鈥 Vuittonsa国际传媒 very DNA.
From their front-row perch, , Jennifer Connelly, , Chlo毛 Grace Moretz, Lisa, Jaden Smith, Ava DuVernay, and Sophie Turner watched intently as projected shadowy figures drifted across the upper windows, as if ghostly travelers from another era. It was a fitting nod to Vuittonsa国际传媒 own origins at and haute couture, when posh women needed to travel with innumerable cases to house their extensive mobile wardrobes.
On the runway below, Ghesqui猫re spun a narrative of train stations both real and imagined, styling passengers for journeys unknown. There were detectives in trench coats, campers in bulky New Wave sweaters, and party girls rushing for the last train in ruched velvet. The designer has long been a master of cinematic dressing, pulling from a rolodex of filmic inspirations鈥攃lassic whodunnits, fantasies and comedies.
Elsewhere, a voluminous, cascading layered tulle skirt in deep fuchsia channeled Ghesqui猫resa国际传媒 penchant for fusing styles of different centuries, juxtaposed with a contemporary architectural knit top and futuristic slicked-back hair.
When the tracks got bumpy
But while the story was rich, the styling was, at times, derailed. One look in particular 鈥 a fishermansa国际传媒 hat hybrid so oversized it nearly blinded the model, paired with an enveloping scarf, amorphous dress, and a horizontal belt buckle haphazardly above the bust 鈥 caused even seasoned fashion insiders to raise an eyebrow.
Some ensembles were thrilling; others felt like passengers on the wrong train. While fluid, translucent trenches and cleverly constructed jumpsuits stood out, other pieces veered toward the overworked. Layered-on haste rather than artful dishevelment.
Fashion on a synthesized beat
A standout capsule with electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk fused Vuittonsa国际传媒 travel heritage with the bandsa国际传媒 vision of movement and modernity. 鈥楾rans-Europe Express鈥 appeared on pinstriped jumpsuits and accessories, reinforcing the rhythm of the journey. Fittingly, Vuitton revived its 1988 ceramic-bezel watch, a nod to precision in both travel and design.
As the last model exited the train station set, a question loomed in the air: Has Ghesqui猫re himself run out of steam after 11 years at the helm? Perhaps not yet but this season the journey, while evocative, didn鈥檛 always have a clear final destination.
