In case you haven't heard, Southern California's kind of a big deal now. (Here, let The New York Times enlighten you.) The fashion world, long loyal to tony capitals like New York and Paris, is starting to embrace the West Coast. Witness Tom Ford's A-List-tastic fall '15 show in L.A., and yesterday's Louis Vuitton cruise collection, shown in Palm Springs, the desert resort town beloved by midcentury's swankiest.
One of those swanky types was Bob Hope, who purchased this John Lautner-designed home in the 1970s. It was on the grounds of the concrete spaceship that Nicolas Ghesquière presented his collection, full of looks that juxtaposed flowy and tough elements. Fluid skirts topped with criss-crossing belts that exposed just a teeny triangle of stomach opened the show.
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Ghesquière cited artist Urs Fischer as the inspiration behind his use of chain motifs. But, shown alongside looks featuring giant zipper pulls and leather straps, the effect is more like dressing up in purse hardware.
Several dresses and tops featured shiny, embossed materials resembling exotic skins — again, giving the effect of wearing a very fancy purse.
We have LV's last resort collection partially to thank for this year's profusion of A-line miniskirts, and the '70s remain an influence here. Could hot pants be next summer's mass trend? Rules of public decency say probably not — but we could easily see that flowy, pumpkin jumpsuit in our closet (and on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour).
Other outfits featuring soft maxi-dresses with chainmail-resembling embellishments or grommeted-leather shoulders looked downright medieval. And, we're calling it now: The white dress' zig-zag hem will be next year's big spring knockoff trend (we wouldn't say no to those lug-sole boots, either).
A cool detail that emerged only in close-up: Models sported leather rings featuring the LV logo.
The flesh-tone rings are pretty much the world's chicest Band-Aids.
And of course, why carry one Louis bag when you can carry two?
Just as you were beginning to despair of the basic-ization of Birkenstocks, Ghesquière steps in with a frontrunner for the next big ugly shoe. And truly, footwear does not get more, um, grandma-friendly than a molded-to-your-foot flip-flop.
It was a collection that spun out in several different directions, alternately paying homage to its location (all those palm prints), the brand's own accessories, '70s romance, and the future as seen from a mirrored, midcentury perch.