Louis Vuitton has long been known for staging its destination shows in architectural masterpieces, marking ten years of Nicolas Ghesquière’s creative leadership. This year, the designer chose the Hypostyle Room in Antoni Gaudí’s Park Güell, an iconic Barcelona landmark with mosaic-adorned ceilings. Originally envisioned as a residential community, the park was repurposed after World War I and now stands as a cultural gem, alongside Gaudí’s famed Sagrada Familia.
The unique aesthetics of Park Güell align seamlessly with Ghesquière’s signature exploration of time-traveling and era-blending themes. However, the collection’s ties to Gaudí remained subtle, instead drawing from broader Spanish influences. In a pre-show interview, Ghesquière cited inspirations ranging from Spanish masters Velázquez, Goya, and Zurbarán to filmmaker Luis Buñuel, Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s As Bestas, and the upcoming America’s Cup in Barcelona, which Louis Vuitton sponsors.
Ghesquière spoke of his admiration for Spain’s balance between discipline and liberation, tradition and modernity—a duality that defined the collection. The show opened with sharp, tailored looks in neutral tones, accessorized with straw gaucho hats and mirrored racing shades. The first and third ensembles reinterpreted the sailor’s vareuse, featuring wide collars, bold shoulders, and 1980s-inspired inverted triangle silhouettes. While Ghesquière described the collection as formal and devoid of casualwear, the later looks introduced a softer fluidity. Silk skirts and trousers with chiaroscuro folds paid homage to Spanish master painters, culminating in a standout ultramarine, one-sleeved bubble dress.
Further enhancing the collection were elements like glossy riding boots, jodhpurs with faux fur cuffs, and fresh takes on polka dots and ruffles—intentionally avoiding predictable flamenco dress tropes or direct homages to Cristóbal Balenciaga. Instead, Ghesquière nodded to Paco Rabanne with a deconstructed white lace skirt reassembled with wire hooks.
Notable guests included designers Julien Dossena and Natacha Ramsay-Levi, along with Hollywood icons Jennifer Connelly, Regina King, and Sophie Turner.
Certain garments, such as silk and wool dresses that underwent a boiling process to shrink the wool, showcased Ghesquière’s emphasis on technique over thematic literalism. However, the connection between Ghesquière and Gaudí was evident in their shared audacity—both visionaries known for defying convention and pushing creative boundaries. This collection was yet another testament to Ghesquière’s ability to merge history with innovation, proving why, after ten years, his Louis Vuitton remains a masterclass in reinvention.
