From Paris To The Far East

Louis Vuitton’s Virgil Abloh takes the brand across cultures for his latest collection.

- Asri Jasman

Stepping out of the French capital for the first time, artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear Virgil Abloh brought the spring/ summer 2021 collection on a journey that signifies inclusivity and diversity. “Through my ongoing premise of boyhood, I seek to positively influence the minds of young men of colour with images of opportunity before society programmes them to think any differently,” Abloh reveals in his press notes for Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2021 menswear collection.

It’s been an apparent visual manifesto that has distinguished Abloh’s vision from that of previous creative directors within Louis Vuitton. The use of more models of colour—specifically, those of African descent—both on the runway and in the maison’s menswear lookbooks and campaigns, quite seamlessly co-opting the streetwear scene and culture with luxury fashion, as well as celebrating a more diverse representation of influences and inspirations, have realised a Louis Vuitton that’s more reflective of the current state of the world.

As the first Black person to helm the artistic direction of a major luxury fashion house, especially one that’s under the LVMH umbrella, Abloh has been hitting the right notes when it comes to representation. Louis Vuitton is now more colourful than ever before.