Louis Vuitton SS26: Louvre Me Not

Louis Vuitton SS26 – By Nicolas Ghesquière

Look 1

If you’re going to put on a show at Paris Fashion Week, you may as well go all out, and Louis Vuitton certainly did. Hosted at the Louvre (arguably the most beautiful museum in the world) the show had spectacle built into its DNA before a single look hit the runway. Add to that a front row featuring some of the most elusive and elite names in fashion and Hollywood - Emma Stone, Anna Wintour (of course), and they even managed to bring Zendaya out of hiding! 

The venue alone had me hooked. The Louvre is steeped in cultural heritage, its red marble interiors and gilded ceilings interspersed with historical paintings. It’s not easy to book a show here, there are layers of bureaucracy and technicalities involved - so the fact that Vuitton managed to host such a large crowd in such a prestigious space was impressive! The setting was ornate, regal, and unapologetically opulent. Honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Louis Vuitton.

As the show began, calming music filled the space, overlaid with a woman’s voice softly narrating the intent behind the collection.The 45-look collection opened with a look (above) that immediately felt very Iris Van Herpen-coded: a sculptural three-piece outfit in soft grey, with striking black piping tracing the 3D forms.

The material was thin and airy, giving lightness to what was essentially wearable architecture. The wire-supported puff sleeves twisted upward, edged in black to emphasise their structure, and the set was completed with a maxi skirt and corset-style top. It was one of those rare opening looks that fully delivers: bold, feminine, and conceptually strong without trying too hard.

From there, the collection moved through an array of aesthetics: twin silk dresses in pale pink and cream, covered in tiny stars and beautifully draped, followed by a standout baby blue dress (Look 4) with more wire work, and a very clever product placement. An unzipped LV makeup bag (right) was used as a clutch, filled with products from their newly launched (and controversial) makeup line, including two lipsticks and their extortionately priced palette! 

Look 27 (above) was a clear favourite for me, a white dress with a bubble skirt and dual layers revealing the legs underneath. It featured one of the oversized collars seen throughout the collection, but in this case, it blended seamlessly into the dress, enhancing the shape rather than competing with it. The cherry on top was the leather detailed scarf tied as a belt, with an LV monogram wallet sewn into it. Genius.

Watch the livestream here: 

All my favourite looks: 1, 4, 5, 7, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 27, 29, 32, 39, 42, 43, 45.

The colour palette floated between baby blue, pink, white, grey, beige, orange, and a series of nudes, soft tones that helped ground some of the more experimental silhouettes, creating a kind of wearable surrealism. That contrast really came to life in the tailoring, especially in pieces like Look 17 (below): a baby pink ruffled mini dress layered over sharply tailored black trousers. The dress itself was sheer, with a subtle plaid print climbing the bodice and meeting a structured collar - like vampire fangs at the neck, but made from suiting fabric and wrapped in silk. A bit theatrical, a bit avant-garde, definitely not brunch attire!

Look 7 (below) caught my eye too. It featured a ruffled corset and a really unique 3D-printed neck piece that emerged from the top. Weirdly, despite how complex it sounds, it was one of the more wearable looks. The accessories across the collection, particularly the bags, deserve a mention. They stayed true to LV’s heritage but steered away from logo overload.

Then came the headpieces. Looks 10 through 12 featured turban-style wraps tied in a traditional Sikh style, but with the model’s hair left out, cascading beneath. It made me pause. My initial reaction was to question whether this crossed a line into cultural appropriation. I still don’t know where I land on that - intent matters, but so does execution, and this one felt a little too ambiguous.

The shoes were also a questionable moment! What was that? The footwear styling felt completely disjointed from the rest of the collection. Loafers, boots, and low trainers were paired with open ankled socks?! Often in wildly clashing colours. Neon orange socks and rainbow loafers on a model dressed head to toe in baby pink - What on earth? 

Feathers made a few appearances, as did unique 3D elements - Look 14, for example, incorporated circular cut-outs sewn at varying angles, sizes, and colours to create a movement in fabric form. Stripes as well via shawls and trousers, ruffles were another recurring motif, flowing through floral skirts like the one in Look 20 (below), where cascading white layers gave a high-end, luxurious finish. They really tried their best to incorporate every trend!

Further in the collection came more luxurious pieces including embellished fur pieces such as jackets coated in oversized floral gems and one fuzzy pink cardigan bejewelled with colourful stones. While the embellishments were beautifully executed, the fur pieces themselves had a strange energy, kind of giving “dressing gown, but make it fashion.”

Fringe, as expected, made its way in. It’s been everywhere this season, but Vuitton’s version was distinctly its own. Looks 41 and 42 took it to an artistic level, particularly Look 42 (below), which featured a matching blouse and trouser set drenched in multi-coloured fringe that moved like a rainbow waterfall down the runway. It was fringe, but editorialised - classically Louis Vuitton. 

The final 3 looks shifted to monochromatic black, bringing a sense of cohesion and elegance that I wish had come earlier. Look 43 (above) was a highlight: a long leather-striped cardigan paired with a black leather skirt. It was polished, structured, unmistakably Vuitton. The closing look carried the same DNA, with a massive rolled-neck wool jumper that looked so warm and inviting I almost forgot it was for spring/summer. 

The finale walk was also beautifully orchestrated. Models walked in from different directions, at different speeds, gradually merging into one united front. It was powerful and poetic, especially against the dramatic backdrop of the red marble Louvre. A true Louis Girl moment.

Overall, the show didn’t hit me the way I hoped it would. It wasn’t a jaw-dropper, but it was fresh and carefully thought through. There were clear attempts to tap into modern trends while maintaining the brand’s DNA, even if not every experiment landed. Some looks were truly beautiful, and the Louvre setting certainly earned them a few extra points. You can’t go wrong with a show staged in the world’s most iconic museum!

With love,

Mimi x