Louis Vuitton menswear summer 2021 goes ‘seasonless’

Louis Vuitton menswear Summer 2021 Virgil Abloh

An interesting concept from Virgil Abloh for his Louis Vuitton menswear Summer 2021 collection.

Shown in Shanghai this week, his ‘seasonless’ strategy mixes past looks with new on the same runway. “This is debuting my future format of shows,” he told WWD. “We as humans want new things, we always want to go forward; the newest, fastest, shiniest things…[But] if my collection I debuted in January I believed in, by the time it gets to July, I still believe in it. It’s not that it’s so old that it can’t be seen ever again. I’m questioning that system by proposing that my collections are all as one.” Fair play!

The new-old collection combined Seventies African tailoring and ska influences with what onlookers called out as too-close-for-comfort iterations of 3D ‘anthromorphic’ applique clothing by Antwerp fashion legend Walter van Bierendonck. (WBD wasn’t enamoured either.) Upping the playfulness were inflatable characters from his ‘Zoooom with friends’ animation (modelled above by singer-actor Kris Wu).

“We, as humans, need peace and hopefully beauty can bring us peace and positive energy,” explained Abloh. “That’s what my collection is about. It’s with all intent to showcase what’s good in the world, that which can make a kid smile and bring joy to an adult.”

WORDS: Disneyrollergirl/Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Kris Wu for Louis Vuitton /WWD
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week
CLICK HERE to buy my book The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman