Nicolas Ghesquière is sentimental. And with a reputation like his, he can certainly afford to be. That much he wants you to know after his ten years at the house of Louis Vuitton, spent solidifying its brand identity with progressive, futuristic pieces infused with a retro touch—appropriate for the travel-inspired brand with over 150 years of history to its name.
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Both Ghesquière and Louis Vuitton have been around long enough to survive many industry ups and downs over the years. Their secret to success? Turning their focus on developing and honing their own trademarks over time. Many of these house signatures made an appearance in the brand’s fall/winter 2024 collection shown on Tuesday evening; supersized details of LV trunks printed on boxy minidresses flashed back to Ghesquière’s spring/summer 2023 collection, while flashy tracksuits were reminiscent of the sporty chic which dominated his debut collection for the house back in 2014. Despite referencing old leitmotifs from seasons past, these items looked as good as new. Thousands of admirers—not just celebrities and esteemed editors, but also Louis Vuitton staffers from around the globe—bore witness as Ghesquière looked back at his legacy in the making. It was clear from the get-go who this show was for: Friends of the house who have made Ghesquière the designer he is today.
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Fashion analysts have been heralding “the end of trends” for quite some time now, and you could see this reflected in the divergent directions designers took on the runways in Paris this season. Many grappled with playing it safe in an unstable luxury market, while others were left grasping for meaning. All seemed to struggle with how to move forward in uncertain times. But Ghesquière has always eschewed trends, and looked to friends of the house instead for inspiration (two of them, Hoyeon of Squid Game and Stray Kids’ Felix, walked Tuesday’s runway). As he made clear in his heartfelt show notes, these friends make up the “ever-renewing story” of Louis Vuitton, a house driven by its own sense of self-fulfillment, and wanderlust. This season gave us a curved sci-fi-esque jacket from outer space, feather gowns reminiscent of Carnival in Rio, and furry gloves from the Arctic tundra all in one collection. All different stories from different places, yet still distinctly Louis Vuitton.
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It was a fitting collection to end Paris Fashion Week, sans the semi-secret, very-exclusive Saint Laurent men’s show which took place not long after. If fashion is as much a search for survival as it is for style, Ghesquière’s stature as an industry heavyweight has pretty much been sealed thanks to his immense respect and love for the people who have gotten him this far. It’s no wonder that he never looked more at ease—or at home—as he took his final bow this season. We can’t wait to see what next season, and the next 10 years, bring for him and his friends.