Colour, scale and neo-classicism inform the Louis Vuitton Pre-fall 2020
By Michael Barbara | May 19, 2020The Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2020 collection acts as an extension of the Fall 202 menswear collection in which using scale and colour Virgil Abloh explored the evolution of traditional corporate wear and suiting. For the Pre-fall collection the designer moves the conversation around contemporary dressing and menswear further by investigating tradition and specifically the delicate tame in which a boy transitions into adulthood, learning about corporate attire.
The notion of redefining the luxury market to appeal to a younger audience, and designing for the man of the now has been a cardinal characteristic of Virgil’s manifesto since he became the brands creative director in 2018. For the past two years the young designer has changed the demographic associated with the French luxury brand breathing a new air of youth and freshness into the monumental brand. In conversation with Vogue he said “When I started at Louis Vuitton I was interested in relaxed luxury, oversized, [the idea] that luxury didn’t need to be stiff, and I’ve made that point.”
This collection sees a notable shift in tailoring which Is a closer fit to the body making silhouettes translate as more casual and contemporary. The work previously seen on by the designer on the menswear runways featured a distinctly more relaxed approach to size and fit, with slouchy tops and baggy trousers. The classic LV logo is amplified, multiplied, divided, slashed, blown up and saturated in bright colours. Fanny packs feature an unfinished embroider-by-number outlook in supersized LV’s, puffer coats feature a camouflage-logo mashup otherwise enlarging it rainbow hues dotted on cotton separates and mink bombers.
As complementary pieces to the eclectic garments, there comes a selection of unique accessories and statement footwear. Pinstripe suits come matched with a harness while hybrid penny loafers and Derby’s elevate the the preppy chic feel of the ensembles. The mid layer garments such as harnesses are going to appear more frequently in collections as the designer stated “They reinforce my goal of defining a silhouette.” First seen on the it-boy Timotheé Chalamet during the 2019 Golden Globe award ceremony these key pieces are now connecting with consumers far beyond the red carpet. The houses signature bags are offered in tangerine shades while the classic trunk is made up in the seasons’ camouflage print.
Accessories act as a cardinal character to the overall image the designer aims to achieve with every collection he believes that “Accessories have the power to add a different personality. How the clothes are presented in the lookbook can be entirely different from how they look on their own in the store. Bags and shoes are key components to express a sentiment. They are the items that can alter the whole expression of an outfit” as he stated in an interview with Mens Folio.
Virgil also clarified that the shift in his approach to tailoring seen in this season does not signify a departure from the streetwear codes which LV, he states “Everything we do is an exploration of different dress codes, which is what we have been investigating in previous seasons under the headline of “boyhood”(…) To evolve that, we are not throwing out with the bathwater all the things we learnt from the street. On the contrary, it will conversely inform the traditional codes.”
The collection has no set release date as of right now, however just like every other collection this too will drop on the brands official website.
Researcher: Milo Gall, @ Milog_Gall