On April 29 in Seoul, traffic stopped for 24 hours on the Jamsugyo Bridge at the Han River. Against the city’s darkened skyline and amid gusts of wind, models walked along the lit-up waterfall, emerging onto a glowing blue tunnel that served as the runway. At first glance, it may have seemed like a surreal vision from the future—but it was actually Louis Vuitton’s first women’s pre-fall show in the South Korean capital. For the occasion, the acclaimed Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk acted as a creative advisor, marking the first time the double-decker bridge played host to a fashion show. (The event also represents one of the first splashy initiatives from the brand’s new chairman and chief executive officer Pietro Beccari.)
It’s been a big season for major fashion brands hitting the road for destination shows all around the world, and Louis Vuitton’s pre-fall expedition was staged in harmony with 2023-2024 Visit Korea Year—an effort that celebrates local culture and spurs tourism to the country. Taking it one step further, Louis Vuitton is partnering with the Korea Tourism Organization on various short-term and long-term projects, from preserving natural resources of the Han River to opening a book kiosk and photo exhibition.
As such, the collection represented a take on travel and movement—two themes intrinsic both to the Louis Vuitton brand and Ghesquière himself as of late. Subtle racing motifs like inverted checkerboard prints on little zipped-down vests, plus shield sunglasses, blown-up checks reinterpreted as stripes, and flat leather boots and Mary Janes grounded the collection. “Essentials take on a new look, new features,” the show notes explained. “It rejoins the incessant movement over the Jamsugyo Bridge, a living work of architecture that exists in harmony with the water’s whims, a perfect allegory for transformation. It anchors a collection that is itself in mutation.”
The show opened with sporty moto jackets, chunky windbreakers, leather skirts, red jumpsuits, bi-color jeans, and flat boots; belts anchored each look in one way or another. For the past few seasons, creative director Nicolas Ghesquière has been putting a focus on blown-up details. Here, we saw the clasp of the supersized Key Pouch in another location entirely: around models’ waists.
Things got really interesting when it came to the elevated plays on proportion bolstered by unexpected layering. Baggy pinstripe suits with lace-y lingerie tops underneath, chunky furs over leather paneled dresses, wool sweaters with midi skirts and oversized pajama-style shirts decorated by metallic beading were pure eye candy on the darkened bridge. Blazers blew open in the wind, revealing contrasting hues. The best part? The long sweater vests—layered and belted over flowing, pleated, long-sleeve Grecian-style dresses—were a perfect styling hack to keep in mind for fall. Puffer coats with short dresses and maxi pleated gowns billowing in the wind showed the effortless sensibility of dressing for dressing’s sake. All in all, the collection pushed at the idea of wearability, with less focus on some of the editorially striking ideas Ghesquière has shown us in recent seasons.
The deep-V tops molded to the body with sheer mesh panels and stripes rendered in sequins looked most exciting—and at home—against the cinematic runway setting. With the K-pop group Le Sserafim playing Vuitton’s after party, all eyes from the cultural set are sure to be on Seoul tonight.
