Louis Vuitton Show

Eden

— 3 min read
Louis Vuitton Show

Paris Fashion Week, The Capital of Fashion in Motion

From September 29 to October 7, 2025, Paris once again becomes the beating heart of the fashion world as it hosts Paris Fashion Week Women’s Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2026. For over a week, Maisons de Couture and emerging designers transform the City of Light into a global stage where creativity, innovation, and cultural influence collide.

Paris Fashion Week is the final stop of the international fashion month, following New York, London, and Milan. It represents the ultimate moment of visibility for designers, where collections are not only presented but critically interpreted, photographed, livestreamed, and instantly disseminated worldwide. This season, major houses such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent, Balmain, and Hermès lead the conversation.

With livestreams now opening the doors of traditionally exclusive shows, fashion has never been more accessible, yet still deeply symbolic.

Louis Vuitton, From Travel Trunks to Fashion Powerhouse

Among the most anticipated shows every season stands Louis Vuitton, a house whose identity is inseparable from its iconic monogram and checkerboard patterns. Originally dedicated entirely to luxury luggage, Louis Vuitton expanded into fashion in the early 2000s, marking a decisive shift in its history.

The brand’s ready-to-wear legacy has been shaped by influential artistic directors:

  • Marc Jacobs, who led women’s ready-to-wear for 16 years, injecting boldness, pop references, and commercial success.
  • Nicolas Ghesquière, former artistic director of Balenciaga, who brought architectural silhouettes, futuristic elegance, and historical reinterpretation to Louis Vuitton women’s collections.

On the men’s side, Virgil Abloh revolutionized the brand with a streetwear-infused, culturally inclusive vision before his passing in 2021. His successor, Pharrell Williams, continues to disrupt norms by blending pop culture, luxury, and provocation, notably through the controversial return of fur.

The Spring/Summer 2026 Show, A Historic Setting

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 12:00 pm, Louis Vuitton unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 Women’s Ready-to-Wear collection in a powerful and symbolic location: the apartments of Anne of Austria at the Musée du Louvre, once home to the Queen of France and mother of Louis XIV.

This setting reinforced Louis Vuitton’s ongoing dialogue between heritage and modernity, grounding contemporary fashion within the walls of French history.

The Collection, From Minimalism to Maximalist Drama

The show opened with a sequence of minimalistic, stone-coloured silhouettes. These early looks emphasized:

  • Fluid draping
  • Sheer fabrics
  • Light, floating constructions

As the collection progressed, it shifted into a more maximalist and expressive territory, showcasing statement pieces such as:

  • A white shirt dress with an oversized collar and bubble hem
  • A crystal-embellished jacket with a peplum shape and furry collar
  • A fully beaded and fringed gown, rich in movement and texture
  • An off-the-shoulder silk mini dress with crumpled, puffy sleeves and a fur-trimmed neckline

The color palette evolved from cool earthy tones to powder blues and bubblegum pinks, reflecting a balance between restraint and fantasy.

Fashion, Power, and Cultural Influence

Paris Fashion Week is not only about clothes, it is a powerful cultural and economic event. Designers use this platform to:

  • Set trends for the upcoming year
  • Influence global retail and consumption
  • Shape visual culture through media and social networks

Livestreaming has allowed wider audiences to engage with collections instantly, accelerating trend cycles but also raising questions about exclusivity and creative longevity.

The Limits and Controversies of Fashion Week

Despite its prestige, Paris Fashion Week is not without criticism.

  • Overexposure and Speed
    • The rapid dissemination of collections can diminish the sense of anticipation and craftsmanship, pushing designers into constant production cycles.
  • Ethical Concerns
    • The return of fur, notably under Pharrell Williams’ direction at Louis Vuitton menswear, reignites debates around sustainability, animal welfare, and the responsibility of luxury brands.
  • Accessibility vs. Elitism

While livestreams democratise access, the industry itself remains highly exclusive, often disconnected from everyday consumers.

My Thought

What strikes me most about Paris Fashion Week is its ability to exist between opposites: tradition and innovation, exclusivity and accessibility, beauty and controversy. Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection perfectly illustrates this tension. I admire the way Nicolas Ghesquière uses history as a creative foundation rather than a limitation.

However, I believe fashion must remain aware of its impact. Creativity should not come at the expense of ethical responsibility. For me, the future of fashion lies in meaningful storytelling, where aesthetics, values, and culture move forward together.

Resources

Sites:

Pictures:

Read more