Louis Vuitton Cruise Collection 2019

THE MARGUERITE and Aimé Maeght Foundation in St Paul de Vence, France, is a modern art museum with a difference. Some of the biggest names in twentieth-century painting, sculpture and architectural design have collaborated to craft a space dedicated to integrating the best in contemporary art with a striking building complex and stunning natural landscape. At the heart of the Foundation lies the Joan Miró Labyrinth, a maze carved into a hilltop garden and filled with contemporary art and ceramics.

With its ethos of embodying the mind of the artist, the maze was the perfect backdrop to the sculptural silhouettes and contemporary aesthetics of the Louis Vuitton Cruise Collection 2019. Models marched along the white gravel paths in rubbery, thigh-high leather boots with hybrid sneaker soles, darting between sculptures and crossing each other’s paths as they traversed the complex maze. The collection blended eclectic tailoring with cool neutrals, brightened by splashes of burnt orange and coppery metallics.

Elsewhere, jewel-coloured satins were paired with clashing florals and bold ‘80s prints that echoed the mural mosaics and stained-glass windows of the surrounding complex. Exaggerated shoulders and nipped-in waists typified the silhouettes on show, offset by the occasional billowing cape or lingerie-inspired loose silk slip.  The eclecticism of the collection continued into the accessories. The House collaborated with Grace Coddington to create bags inspired by the fashion editor’s animal sketches, while many of the models sported safety-goggle inspired eye-wear and leather cowboy hats.

With its emphasis on modern reinterpretations of ‘80s eclecticism and its imaginative blend of elegant tailoring and humorous novelty, this was a bold and suitably contemporary collection to present alongside some of the twentieth-century’s most radical artworks.

by Rachel Parker