In the latest instalment of the late Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton, playful set design and performance art court a modern and exciting vision of menswear.

A final tribute to Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s former art director who passed away in November 2021 after battling with a rare form of cancer, the FW22 show continued the surrealist direction Abloh cultivated over eight seasons. 

Family and friends of Abloh and Louis Vuitton gathered at Le Carreau du Temple for the show. The digital version of the show begins with a close-up of a blue egg that cracks to reveal a model dressed in an ultraviolet tracksuit walking towards ‘Louis’ Dreamhouse’. Poet Kai-Isaiah Jamal performs a spoken word into an ear in the wall whilst the founder of No Signal and Recess Jojo Sonubi stands on a ladder watering a cloud.

The collection titled The 8th Field comprises 67 looks presented in a blue world, reminiscent of Louis Vuitton’s FW22 set, that continues to link back to Abloh’s “Boy Ideology”. A refectory style table lined with an orchestra plays a symphony composed by Tyler the Creator. The apex of a house with a red roof and smoke rising out of the chimney sits behind. A blue staircase led down to a raised blue platform. Models-cum-dancers walked down blue stairs and bounced in formation off a hidden trampoline. 

The childlike sense of play and wonder established by the set design continue throughout the collection. Styled by Ib Kamara, model Ottawa Kwami wears the first look; a black, tailored, slim fit suit, followed by an equestrian ensemble that sees a fitted cap replace a riding hat. Ultraviolet suits and a varsity jacket interrupt the runway whilst bridal elements like a floor-length red veil and a white layered tulle skirt adds a whimsical vibe to the collection. 

Virgil Abloh’s ethos of changing something slightly or putting it in a different context to create something new works beautifully in Louis Vuitton’s FW22 collection. His attention to detail, references and ability to create a spectacle that means something for this show; in this case, having fun with fashion in a wearable way are all part of the indelible legacy he leaves behind. 

Watch Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall-Winter Show below: 

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