Virgil Abloh Pays Homage to Michael Jackson in His FW19 Collection for Louis Vuitton
See the designer’s sophomore collection here.
Virgil Abloh‘s second collection for Louis Vuitton has been highly anticipated, especially after the announcement of the designer’s previous collection outselling LV’s coveted Supreme collaboration by 30-percent. This time around, Abloh chose to pay homage to music legend Michael Jackson, starting with the show invitations arriving in the form of a glove printed with the show info, as a nod to Jackson’s signature bedazzled glove.
As guests arrived at the show, the set was built to replicate the singer’s iconic “Thriller” music video, with celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Kid Cudi and more in attendance. As the show started, models came out sporting monochrome looks in hues of sand and beige, with elevated trench coats, jackets and wide trousers being in focus. As the runway went on, models also wore studded gloves as a nod to MJ, and a few looks in we also saw Michael Jackson prints across both shirts and sweatshirts. In addition, Abloh also debuted a series of new bags, including an over-sized monogram backpack, as well as new iterations of the classic Keepall bag in hues like fuchsia, neon yellow and more.
As for footwear, Abloh brought his classic streetwear touch by debuting new sneaker silhouettes, taking on a retro-futuristic aesthetic that merged LV’s luxury background with Abloh’s streetwear roots. Towards the show’s closing, the lights turned off and models walked out wearing light-up sneakers and carrying light-up Keepall bags, while the band sang a cover of MJ’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something.” The show was closed by model Alton Mason, who ran down the runway in a purple satin outfit and did a series of flips down the runway.
To sum it up, Virgil Abloh took a much more toned-down approach to his sophomore collection for Louis Vuitton, and focused on elevating silhouettes, experimenting with texture, size and material. With a total of 65 looks, it’s safe to say that the collection was nothing short of eye-catching. Take a look at some of the best looks in the gallery above, and let us know in the comments what your thoughts on the show are.
