Inside Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition, London.

I’m well aware we don’t typically discuss fashion around here, but this post is so much more than that. In fact, forget that this exhibition has anything to do with a high-profile luxury brand. The Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition we saw in London during LDF15 was a true spectacle and a powerful communication tool.

A modern and unexpected reinterpretation of a fashion show, #LVSeries 3 invited visitors to discover Nicolas Ghesquière’s inspirations for his third ready-to-wear show as the brand’s Artistic Director for women’s collections. In simple terms, this was a showcase of Ghesquière’s creative process and influences – and the means by which he arrived at a completed collection. But, this was far from your usual “mood board”. No sir! Imagine stepping into The Matrix or TRON, for an insight into the inner working of a brilliant and incredibly intense creative mind, and the way in which his vision is translated into reality from the making through to advertising campaigns.

This optical illusion greeted visitors at the entrance foyer in which the classic LV symbol evolved and transformed in a projected animation that could only be seen on the layered blades of polarised glass.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The vast atrium with a suspended geodesic dome reflecting onto the mirrored ceiling is a conceptual interpretation of Nicholas Ghesquere’s brain of sorts. And it’s super cool! Tunnel on the right leads to the next room.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

A dizzying experience inside a designer’s mind: logos, patterns, models and memories spin around floor to ceiling, with LV’s celebrated heritage trunk at the centre of the room. The ground starts to feel unstable after a few minutes spent in this room.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Another trippy room where we are given the chance to “time travel” while the tables showcase the making of LV items in real time.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The room of the infinite fashion show with models marching towards the spectators, in what is a recreation of the AW15 show in Paris.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: Watching the craftsman from Paris bringing LV items to life in front of our eyes, one piece at a time. Right: ‘Digital laser room shows a blade of laser that animates pattern-cutting of leather goods from the current collection. 
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

In the all white gallery space, accessories from the current collection are shown on mannequins sitting on pedestals, or coming out of walls. It takes a while for the eyes to adjust to the bright nature of the space, almost as though we’ve stepped into another dimension.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Walk-in wardrobe made of glass. Who would’ve thought…
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The all important poster room.
Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The exhibition took place within the shell of Frederick Gibberd’s Brutalist 180 Strand building in London, conceived in collaboration with set designer Es Devlin. Ghesquière first approached Devlin in 2014 to design the show for his third collection, which was held at Frank Gehry’s yet-to-be-unveiled Fondation Louis Vuitton building. Working closely with Ghesquière from the start of each collection, she has designed each show since, and translated those sets and the stories behind the collections into the touring Series exhibitions.

Beginning with a reimagining of the geodesic dome show space, the exhibition immediately lead into the mind of Ghesquière, and – as you might imagine – it’s a fairly overwhelming experience. Here, the room spins while models, bags, images and interviews emanate from a large central trunk onto the curved walls. In the next room the visitors are invited to experience a direct view of an artisan’s desk while time and space whizz past you – a seriously fairly trippy experience to say the least (thank goodness I wan’t hungover that day!). Another room replicates the interior of the catwalk, where the life-size models shown on digital screens kept marching towards us over and over again. The laser rooms showcased how leather is laser-cut for the accessories, while in the room that followed we watched two craftsmen from Paris assemble LV’s luxury articles in front of our eyes. There was an all white accessory room, a glass walk in robe that made me consider selling a limb in exchange for just one tiny corner of it, culminating in a large industrial lounge overlooking the Thames and boasting a wall of Vuitton stickers the crowds when nuts for (because they were free – and we all know things are always way better when they are free, no?)

So what we can learn from all this? That Louis Vuitton spent a truckload of money – yes – but more importantly – Series 3 forms part of a wider trend of luxury houses showcasing their brands in exhibitions (remember Chanel’s Little Black Jacket, for example?) By staging a show in an independent space outside of their store, Louis Vuitton have once again positioned themselves at the intersection of art of design, giving their the brand the powerful ability to inspire, rather than just sell. In doing so, they also engaged with people who might not otherwise ever step foot in a Louis Vuitton store. And that, my friends, is the nugget I hope we can all take away from this – major cleverness on multiple levels.

Over and out.

Related Post: #YellowtraceTravels: London Design Festival 2015.

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with Cathay Pacific, who currently fly to London five times each day. Cathay’s great connections from Australia allow getting from Sydney to London in under 24 hours, including transit times. For more information visit cathaypacific.com.au. 
 

[All images © Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace.]