August 10, 2020: With most fashion shows going digital during the pandemic, Louis Vuitton has managed to make the traditional fashion shows come alive once again with its Spring Summer 2021 menswear show. The stellar collection was unveiled by the Port of Shanghai.
Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of the brand’s menswear, had hinted at the concept of the show in an animated video titled ‘The Adventures of Zoooom with Friends’ that was released on July 9. Colorful cartoons are shown to be stowaways in LV containers that set sail from Paris. This band of animated cartoons have successfully manifested themselves in the newest collection called ‘Message in a bottle’.
The playful collection comprises bold, eye-catching prints in plaid, LV monogram, colorful stripes as well as monochrome outfits in bright hues of yellow, green and blue. Plushies of the characters from the animated short film dangle on the collars of blazers, coats, suitcases and soft charms. The eyewear and fancy bags, trunks embedded with speakers also added to the vibrant element of the collection. Mr. Abloh’s eccentric imagination reflected in the clothes and accessories, even though he himself remained absent.
Apart from its quirky design, the collection also puts focus on the new upcycling program. The outfits in the collection were made from overstock textiles, refurbished ideas taken directly from previous collections and recycled materials. Through this collection, Mr. Abloh has tried to imbibe different values like unity, humanity and inclusivity. He described the show as “black imagination manifesting itself” in an instagram video.
With Shanghai show being the second chapter of “The Adventures of Zoooom with Friends’, the third chapter is scheduled for September and will be held in Tokyo.
