Louis Vuitton's SS22 Menswear Collection Is Part Rave, Part Business
Virgil Abloh’s latest seamlessly blends formalwear and streetwear.
Virgil Abloh once again reimagines Louis Vuitton and its identity, presenting an eclectic Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection alongside an eerily dystopian film titled Amen Break.
Directed by Mahfuz Sultan, the 11-minute visual is “a story about a father and son united by an unnamed loss, crossing a dream world to deliver a message to the other side,” as described by Louis Vuitton. The camera follows these two figures as they traipse an empty, baron desert until they reach a portal. Stepping through into another world, they reappear in a cold, desolate forest, devoid of color and life. It is against this neutral backdrop that we get a first look at the collection, its striking color story popping against the white of the forest.
Featuring everything from tailored formalwear to casual tracksuits, the collection is a seamless fusion of a businessman and a rave-goer, applying vibrant neon colors to the house’s iconic monogram and Damier check motif. A range of silhouettes contrast exaggerated outlines with slim structures, seeing oversized padded blazers followed by sleek trench-coats. Stand-out pieces include a patchwork jacket printed with graphics imitating ’90s rave flyers, a jigsaw imprint suit and a violet tracksuit enveloped in monogram-printed mesh. Accessory and footwear offerings feature a selection of bags dressed in bold patterns, as well as embellished belts, extravagant headwear, and the hotly-anticipated Nike Air Force 1 collaboration. As for jewelry, models are outfitted in beaded necklaces, accompanied by floral earrings, blade pendants and oversized crystal rings.
The film transitions to a spoken word piece from Kai-Isaiah Jamal, Louis Vuitton’s first Black transgender model, and then proceeds to capture the collection’s entire cast of models in a wooden room, where GZA of Wutang Clan plays chess while lip-syncing to his song “4th Chamber.” Rounding off the film is a final scene starring British DJ and musician Goldie, dressed in a Damier check tracksuit.
Check out the Louis Vuitton SS22 looks in the gallery above, and watch the film, Amen Break, below.
