Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 Avignon

[tourbillions]

It’s that level of couturey craftsmanship in RTW that’s all but missing these days getting people excited. But all I see is just scraps from his superior Balenciaga days now wrangled together with the desperation of #lookatme! social media aesthetic. The Dapper Dan Christmas wrapping paper patchwork and flame design are beyond desperately overwrought and heavy-handed imprinting. Sadly, restraint is lost on him nowadays. And it’s just as well, since none of these will make it to the retail floor and just relegated to the brand’s 80,000 ambassadors on the red carpet.

Even more obnoxious is this need to corporate flex with the enormous football-field-as-catwalk, where the cast has to walk a kilometre just to circle the runway. Can’t suffer his presentations: Just soulless, charmless and graceless. Thank goodness for the latest Dries/Khaite/Tom Ford presentations that don’t require a stadium to create an impact.

Nicolas and his Vuitton has become the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas of fashion.

I dont see this as a criticism of NG but moreso a criticism of the current state of fashion.

a brand as big as louis vuitton will just not do low key presentations in these times. Making big instragram worthy pictures or events are not exclusive to fashion. All industries are chasing for that 30s-1m reel that will blow up and hopefully turn into sales.

Is he overdoing the clothes for that short reel that would hopefully become a viral hit? Definitely Yes.

Is he still challenging and creating something that would make fashion fans think? Yes too, maybe not in the same scale as his Balenciaga but compared to what everyone else is doing... he is still far ahead of the pack.

 

[Armani]

its Anita casting, no Ashley.. new era

Ashley casted the show. MDC’s mistake… as per usual 😭

 

[Alquimista]

Lovely show. The shapes are very familiar, like a compilation really. Revisiting his history at a historic place, cool. But the real charm here is all the textiles, patterns, prints, the colours, the embelishment. This is what is missing from fashion . Something evocative, doing that bridge past and present. Think god for nicholas!

I'm reading a lot about 19 century gothic medievalism, so this collection is feels just right to me atm. Lol

 

[Kennnnn]

I appreciate the effort that went into these clothes. It was nice seeing some of the references to Balenciaga, especially from the early '00s, but honestly I'd take any of those Balenciaga shows over this.

 

[MaraPiovani]

Ashley casted the show. MDC’s mistake… as per usual 😭

thanks, its was very similar lol

 

[Phuel]

I dont see this as a criticism of NG but moreso a criticism of the current state of fashion.

a brand as big as louis vuitton will just not do low key presentations in these times. Making big instragram worthy pictures or events are not exclusive to fashion. All industries are chasing for that 30s-1m reel that will blow up and hopefully turn into sales.

Is he overdoing the clothes for that short reel that would hopefully become a viral hit? Definitely Yes.

Is he still challenging and creating something that would make fashion fans think? Yes too, maybe not in the same scale as his Balenciaga but compared to what everyone else is doing... he is still far ahead of the pack.

He’s an annoying pop designer now… He’s still a very capable, worthy talent. The backbones of superior design is still there most of the time (the doll collection was solid as separates and as a concept), as is the potentially charming Puss-N-Boot silhouettes here, buried under all the gaudiest and most excessive of prints, gimmicks and textures screaming to be noticed by the casual fashion fan; and that’s who he designs for now in a bid to remain the most popular-- to sell tacky monogrammed canvas totes. It’s this unfortunate habit he’s acquired— whether as an evolution of his sensibility, ego, MAS’ trolling styling, or just the survival adaptation to keep up with the Kardashians in this lesser fashion era, likely all of the above, that’s made his offerings increasingly insufferable. And all to push those r*tchet bags. Vuitton deserves Pharrell. But Nicolas is better than this eurotrash brand. Of course he stays and showboats for the fame and fortune. And his “Strangers Things” inspirations was so much much much stronger and better since he actually thought of his customer and offered them great separates.

His closest contemporary is Hedi, who may possess the ego and creeper aura, but his designs sensibilities rarely or never verge onto self-indulgent costumes never meant for retail. Even as Hedi’s ego may ascend higher and higher, he still seems to design fashions for us lowly nobodies and not just for poptarts and coverstars. Sadly not Nicolas.

 

[Lola701]

The last dress without the cape was soo nicholas' balenciaga. Will the moto jackets specially the white one ever make it out in stores? And in mens size...

You know, with Louis Vuitton, the question is less about if it will be produced than which boutique will get it.
Obviously the clients who are at the shows will have the opportunity to order whatever they likes but I think their biggest sizes are usually for the US market.

It’s funny but after so many years, I can kind of sense which pieces will be produced, which will be modified for production and which are pure editorial and will probably only be produced if ordered.
But sometimes, they really surprises me, like they did with the 1legged skirt/pant thing for Spring Summer 2025.


But so far, this is one of my favorite resort from Nicolas at Vuitton. It has actually a lot of elements from the NYC resort collection that I love. Rio and the Axe Majeur are still my least favorite ones. And weirdly they produced a lot of the Axe Majeur which is probably one of his most challenging collection ever at Vuitton. Even a great deal of Isola Bella was produced too surprisingly.

It might be time for them to slowly drop all the kpop stars? The stans are ruining the comments section for me. I dont even dislike kpop but its distracting from such a good collection if all i can read are comments about some idol and some random praise for the collection.

Every comment with the Felix thing. Annoying indeed!

 

[dancv]

The use of historical fashion references and reinterpretation for modern days is the kind of work we really don’t get to see from the newer generation of designers.
The colours, shapes, embellishments really brings this collection to life, like some futuristic bard ready to dazzle a court.

It’s one my favourite collection from Nicolas for LV.

 

[Lola701]

His closest contemporary is Hedi, who may possess the ego and creeper aura, but his designs sensibilities rarely or never verge onto self-indulgent costumes never meant for retail. Even as Hedi’s ego may ascend higher and higher, he still seems to design fashions for us lowly nobodies and not just for poptarts and coverstars. Sadly not Nicolas.

They are essentially very different designers though. Hedi’s creativity is fulfilled with all the entities behind the project of building a house: from Photos to architecture, from fragrances to fashion. His work, his vision and probably his interest in fashion only works within that frame.

Nicolas is a designer at heart. It has always been the case. The main focus of his work is clothing. It’s probably the part where he has the most fun with and also the canal where he is the most comfortable expressing himself with.

Their mutual aesthetic obsessions are quite different. I don’t know if Nicolas cares that much about youth, and particularly his youth. But when I look at his work, I don’t think about nostalgia. Hedi seems very much nostalgic and probably more romantic.

 

[PDFSD]

They are essentially very different designers though. Hedi’s creativity is fulfilled with all the entities behind the project of building a house: from Photos to architecture, from fragrances to fashion. His work, his vision and probably his interest in fashion only works within that frame.

Nicolas is a designer at heart. It has always been the case. The main focus of his work is clothing. It’s probably the part where he has the most fun with and also the canal where he is the most comfortable expressing himself with.

Their mutual aesthetic obsessions are quite different. I don’t know if Nicolas cares that much about youth, and particularly his youth. But when I look at his work, I don’t think about nostalgia. Hedi seems very much nostalgic and probably more romantic.

You dont think NG´s work is future nostalgia 80's sci fi or retro 60´s -70´s / french futurism that you see around in paris building or even Charles de Gaulle airport ......NG future is never not based on archive of his hero´s or past.

that's why his work at LV is never streamlined like a apple designed product its an assemblage of parts of vintage ideas of future

all the resort building for shows have been retro future

both Hedi & NG are nostalgia for me one is more on earth the other in outer space

 

[Lola701]

You dont think NG´s work is future nostalgia 80's sci fi or retro 60´s -70´s / french futurism that you see around in paris building or even Charles de Gaulle airport ......NG future is never not based on archive of his hero´s or past.

that's why his work at LV is never streamlined like a apple designed product its an assemblage of parts of vintage ideas of future

all the resort building for shows have been retro future

both Hedi & NG are nostalgia for me one is more on earth the other in outer space

No for me, NG’s work is not about nostalgia even though his aesthetic identity was build in the 1970’s/1980’s. Thierry Mugler was obsessed about the 1950’s but his work wasn’t about nostalgia.

What makes me say that Hedi is about nostalgia is because precisely it informs not just the clothes. If he does the 60’s it’s informed by a whole movement. His last collection for Celine was 60’s, the swinging London, Nico, from the hair to the allure of the girls. When he does the 70’s, it’s very much the same thing. When he does the 80’s it’s the same.

Every designer has that era that define their aesthetic without it being nostalgic.

When Nicolas did the Art Nouveau inspired collection you can’t really say that it’s nostalgic. I associate nostalgia with a certain romantism or melancholia. Something that is totally inexistant in Nicolas’s work.
And Nicolas always references the same decades, always does those télescopages.

But it’s just my interpretation of the thing. Maybe unpopular opinion but as time went I absolutely believe that Hedi was nostalgic of his youth.
It’s maybe why I can connect more with NG than Hedi. I understand his design language, his codes but it’s not incarnated. Hedi’s work is very much incarnated I absolutely enjoy watching it but it’s almost very stereotypical of a stuff I can’t connect with. It’s like the bourgeoise, the rock chick and the groupie.

And I have the same division with YSL and Karl for example. Karl is every women, Yves is a life long exploration of La bourgeoise. The same with Azzedine and Mugler…etc.

 

[PierreGotha]

He's a Mod-Maximalist, and he does it so well. I'm glad he's still motivated and inspired to produce a mesmerizing collection.
On the other hand, does the show feel like a Swan Song or am i just being taken by his music choice.

 

[LadyJunon]

On the other hand, does the show feel like a Swan Song or am i just being taken by his music choice.

Not for another 3 years. His contract expires in late 2028, so SS29 should be his last collection.

 

[IsabelMarantBoy]

My biggest problem with his work at LV is the lack of differentiation between collections. He has done a lot of world building and it's very admirable that's he's building a vocabulary at this house.

I guess call me old fashioned, but I miss the days when it designers would change up looks enough to differentiate between seasons. I look at this and I can tell from the title it's Resort 2026, however it's hard to tell the difference from other collections when he's doing so little to actually change up the look.

Like looking his years at Balenciaga: Fall 2005 was 1960's tough chic, Spring 2006 was Baroque n' Roll, Fall 2006 was Equestrian Extreme, Spring 2007 was Robots, etc....

Maybe it's a symptom of the times, but I would just like to see some sort of variation between designers work each season.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

It looks fine I guess but it is pretty congruent to everything else he's done at LV. I don't see what there is to gush over versus any other season

 

[disco54]

Khaleesi goes to Prom lol, the clothes are redundant he literally does the same sh!t season after season, NG Balenciaga was vastly superior to his tenure at LV. Marc Jacob's LV was far more exciting and the shows were so immersive.

 

[tourbillions]

Marc Jacob's LV was far more exciting and the shows were so immersive.

It was very good and had amazing moments but unfortunately he had no vision, he did not have any vuitton girl in mind. There was no wardrobe to be built, and in that sense his Louis Vuitton was truly for the ones looking for disposable fashion. Specially since every season could be wildly different from each other.

 

[disco54]

It was very good and had amazing moments but unfortunately he had no vision, he did not have any vuitton girl in mind. There was no wardrobe to be built, and in that sense his Louis Vuitton was truly for the ones looking for disposable fashion. Specially since every season could be wildly different from each other.

I would seriously push back on that, each of his shows had distinctive themes and shapes this was further amplified by cinematic fashion shows which elevated everything. NG's LV is an amorphous blur of stiff
costumey clothes meant for a C grade 80s music video being played at 1 am in 1985.

 

[QuantumCouture]

This is Ghesquière in battle-mode. Some looks have impeccable proportions (a rarity these days). However, in some cases it looks like he insisted on near-impossible fabric manipulations at cruise-calendar speed. I like the boot-sandals because they sabotage the eternal cruise cliché of “easy slides.” On references I would add Courrèges Spring 1965.

 

[Thefrenchy]

Better than his usual offerings, I just wish he would step away a minute from being so heavy-handed sometimes. It's always 537537563 prints, fabrics, big things, details galore... Just make it breathe. He knows how to do lighter and precise, so...