Nicolas Ghesquière celebrated a decade at the house of Louis Vuitton and closed Paris fashion week with a bang.

The scale was epic. With a 4000 strong guest list and over 90 celebrities in the front, (including Brigitte Macron, Emma Stone, Lisa, Cate Blanchett, Ana de Armas, Jennifer Connelly, Léa Seydoux, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Chan, Sophie Turner, Chloë Grace Moretz, Millie Bobby Brown, Jaden Smith and Catherine Deneuve). A vast clear tent in an inner courtyard of the Louvre, was dominated by a giant disco ball/spaceship sphere – a strobing light and sound installation by the artist Philippe Parreno. In every seat a typed note from the designer. Describing his Vuitton years as “a beautiful journey” he said, “This joy is still here. Ten years later, this evening is a new dawn.”

The designer always has his eyes on the future, so this was never going to be a greatest hits show. That said his design vocabulary speaks loud and clear, futuristic sports-inspired zip-up coats and flight suits spoke to the purposeful sense of practicality that runs through his work. The swirling wired hems of asymmetric and layered up dresses recalled the silhouettes of his Rio de Janeiro cruise show. Ghesquiere’s interest in historic dress codes was expressed in frock coats with feather-like embroidery which recalled the lavish 18th century frock coats he showed in 2018. Trompe-l’oeil trunks were printed onto boxy little dresses, throwing it back to SS23 when he supersized strap and bag details as prints. There were also classic couture references from a tracksuit done in lavish gold lamé to fabulously embroidered and jewel encrusted short jacket that looked like eighties couture amplified to the max. Worn with chunky correspondent shoes and a white leather mini skirt it was a new take on old finery.

Ten years on and Ghesquiere – the designer’s designer – is still taking risks and pushing silhouettes to the max. Happy 10th Louis Vuitton anniversary to Nicolas Ghesquiere. Thanks for the ravishing creativity, future-now design and unforgettable shows.

louisvuitton.com