Kim Jones’ interpretation of the term “wanderlust” translated into a Hawaiian-infused Spring-Summer 2018 menswear collection, only this time, the central theme was “Surfer-chic”.

After the “Supreme” collection, it only seemed fair to keep the creative track going, drawing inspiration from islands, places and civilizations.

The heatwave in Paris was a vast preparation for the show, which in turn, beautifully bloomed at the heart of a tropical setting. Even the music featured a collaboration with the musician Drake, who recorded a song inspired by the collection, to be premiered at the show.

The multicultural line was mostly noticeable through the signature Aloha shirts, revealing new Hawaiian patterns created by the French House. With that in mind, the “Louis Vuitton” name transformed into a sports team slogan, splattered all around sweaters, t-shirts and scuba zips. Models were all looking as if they just came from a surfing session, what with their hair sleeked to their faces and their coral necklaces. There was a certain juxtaposition to the collection, mending together two bridges, sportswear and suiting, simplicity and class. Hawaiian shirts were turned into organza garments, sportswear turned into tailored silhouettes and suits modernized into youthful numbers. Fabrics were tainted with modernism and fluidity, while colors skewed from earthy tones to more flashy sport-like hues. Accessories made for a meaningful island interpretation, starting with the “cagoules” and finishing off with Louis Vuitton’s iconic Monogram canvas emphasized with a center seam- amongst others.

Everything screamed fauna and flora, paying homage to Louis Vuitton’s timeless love for the iconic “voyage”- a voyage that can now be termed as a definition of “island-hopping”. The clothes were dubbed as a canvas gathering different cultures and different identities, confined in a small fashionable island that is called “Louis Vuitton”.

Sift through the Photo Gallery below to view the collection.

Cindy Menassa