Louis Vuitton revives the Renaissance with peplums and capes at Paris Fashion Week
Zendaya and Cate Blanchett were among the stars to witness the triumphant closing show.
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Louis Vuitton marked creative director Nicolas Ghesquière’s 10th anniversary with a spectacular fusion of past and present: concluding a triumphant Paris Fashion Week with a bang.
Drawing inspiration from the Renaissance, Ghesquière transported the audience to an era rich with historical references, while effortlessly grounding his designs in the modern world with contemporary motifs from trench coats to heavy chain jewellery.
“I think if you don’t put yourself in aesthetic danger every season, you’re not playing the game of fashion,” the French designer said, a philosophy that undoubtedly defined the collection.
The show opened with a series of puffed sleeves jackets with pulled-in waists, peplum hems and ruffle trims – all nods to the Renaissance age.
Paired with biker shorts and chunky leather sandals, these looks captured Ghesquière’s signature blend of architectural precision and contemporary edge.
His approach for the spring/summer 2025 show focused on achieving lightness and fluidity in what would traditionally be heavier garments. The creative director explained that his aim was to work with the two atelier to “break boundaries.”
This limit-pushing faith was evident in drop-waist ribbed knit dresses, breeches and blouson shirts that reimagined historical forms with modern materials and avant-garde shapes.
Ghesquière’s innovation extended to his challenge of crafting coats that felt more like blouses, emphasising a sense of fluidity and weightlessness.
Embellishments, like polished gemstones dangling on loose-fitting tops, blurred the lines between day and evening wear.
The collection reached its climax with unstructured jackets adorned with paintings by French artist Laurent Grasso, whose Studies Into The Past series blends celestial phenomena with Renaissance art: an ideal artistic collaboration for Ghesquière’s vision.
The ethereal jackets felt timeless, bridging art and fashion in a seamless display of luxury.
Ghesquière also debuted a new “generational” bag, which the designer aims to be the next casual, everyday ‘it’ bag, emphasised by its pairing to ornate ensembles.
Sitting front row to see off fashion week were actors Zendaya, Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Connelly, who sported contemporary yet classic looks in homage to Vuitton’s collection.
The spring/summer 2025 collection was a fitting celebration of Ghesquière’s decade at Louis Vuitton, showcasing his ability to pull from history while pushing fashion forward. With each season, the French designer continues to challenge conventions, redefining luxury for a new generation.