Tailored Expositions: Redundant Louis Vuitton SS27 Collection

Louis Vuitton’s Pharrell Williams did not get the memo. Climate change is more conspicuous than ever, with each summer getting hotter. Yet, the brand’s Spring/Summer Collection 2027 is somehow filled with puffy jackets, long coats, nylons and leathers. Conceptually, the nylon is there to reminisce about scuba diving suits, and the elongated overalls are a way to mimic beach towels. Why live in it, when you can just represent it? The good news is: with so many layers on, no one will notice your sweat marks.

Released in Paris on June 23, the surfing motif of the collection was better represented by the imposing scenery for the runway show. A huge breaking wave, made of actual water falling down on a sandy beach, was the stage. Some of the fabrics used were breathable and perfect for summer, such as lightweight cashmere, Merino wool and silk, which incidentally offered a softer, fresher touch to the garments.

Some other fabrics were not so summer-proof. There was a lot of denim, which traps heat and moisture. Jackets and jeans were anchored at the shoes, with what looked like a rip-off of Vans "Off the Wall" shoes. Picasso said that “geniuses steal”. If you don’t do it better than the original maker, this phrase might as well read “lazy folks steal”.

Don’t take the coats off! Underneath, you might find lackluster ideas in Williams’s designs. Bringing nothing new to the table is a challenge that Louis Vuitton seemed to have accepted for their SS27 collection. An aesthetic confusion, to say the least.