It’s nearly impossible to place a referential date on Nicolas Ghesquière’s designs—futuristic, vintage, yet alien all at once. That’s one of the most captivating parts of his work at Louis Vuitton (he’s celebrating a decade there as women’s creative director this year). It always feels new. No wonder he so often mentions time and his interpretations of it in show notes. For Louis Vuitton’s cruise 2025 collection, Ghesquière put that theme to the test, mixing a little bit of the past with a heap of newness.
Louis Vuitton’s city of choice for its latest runway? Barcelona—specifically, the cavernous Hypostyle Room in Antoni Gaudí’s Park Güell. The show opened with a structured beige dress styled with reflective sunglasses and a glossy, leather-looking boater hat, which the first 15 models all wore in varying shades of black, white, greige, and taupe. The whole of the collection was difficult to date, per Ghesquière’s signature. But there were definite reflections of 2010s Tumblr-era aesthetic and ’80s corporate dressing. Big shoulders, Miami Vice blazers, pleats with belts, and a focus on monogram bags dominated. A sort of clowncore, jester-tinged take on recontextualized workwear was undeniable.
Even with 56 looks, artful shapes and glorious finishes kept the pace of the show moving fast. Ghesquière’s textural wonderland was in full effect: fringe-flicked boots, tops trimmed with puffs of tulle, flowing dotted dresses with dense panels. Garments that were embellished, embroidered, puffed, and tufted lit up the venue’s grand concourse while dusk swept in.
As evidenced by the Cannes Film Festival, street style stars, and recent runways, hats are the biggest accessory for 2024. LV cruise 2025 supported that notion—but also proposed the belt for consideration. Models had all kinds: thick, and placed around the waist; or skinny, and draped long near the midriff. Some even wore belted leather pockets slung low around their hips.
With Ghesquière marking 10 years at the brand, it feels more and more like he’s taking each new collection as an opportunity to flex what he can do for ready-to-wear. Long known as a handbag and leather goods label, there’s no denying the unique appeal of the recent ready-to-wear at Vuitton. When the 57 looks debuted tonight in Barcelona this evening, it was clear there was not only a point of view, but a common vernacular and language that has been created by the designer. And notably, there’s personality and soul.
