For the A / W 21 and S / S 22 seasons, the fashion shows returned to the analog catwalk after the pandemic had previously forced many fashion houses to make digital presentations. In order to present their collections, the houses often chose elaborate sets and unexpected locations. At the end of the year we take a look back at five of the best shows of 2021.
5th place: Louis Vuitton Ready-to-Wear, Spring / Summer 2022
The Passage Richelieu of the Louvre formed the backdrop for the Louis Vuitton show that concluded Paris Fashion Week S / S 2022. It was adorned with dozens of antique chandeliers, suggesting a collection whose aesthetic designer Nicolas Ghesquière referred to as “vampire chic”. The collection was inspired by the costumes for Alicia Vikander and other characters from the HBO series “Irma Vep”. During his time at Louis Vuitton, Ghesquière has shown that he likes to play with the concept of time, and in the show notes he stated: “The spring-summer collection 2022 is an invitation to the big ball of time. Time doesn’t matter tonight. And yet time is everything. It dissolves functions and codes. It unites wardrobes. The day turns into night. The modest uniform becomes opulent. ”
The collection also played with sizes and shapes, mixing elements to create unexpected silhouettes, such as a pleated skirt that transformed into a cape. Light and ethereal dresses made of chiffon with hoop skirts in the shape of a suitcase were reminiscent of the beginnings of Louis Vuitton and paid homage to the 200th birthday of the founder. Lots of celebrities attended this highly anticipated show and were not disappointed. Even the sudden interruption by an activist who stormed the catwalk with a banner reading “Overconsumption = Extinction” could not tarnish the enthusiastic reaction of the audience.
4th place: AZ Factory, S / S 22 – Love Brings Love
Alber Elbaz was honored by the fashion industry, which was devastated when he died of Covid-19 last April, aged just 59. 45 designers and Elbaz’s design team at AZ Factory came together to celebrate his life and work. Many of them, including Dries van Noten, Olivier Rousteing, Rick Owens, Iris van Herpen, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Jean Paul Gaultier, sat in the audience with France’s first lady Brigitte Macron and the family members of the late fashion designer.
Each look was inspired by the designers’ personal connection to Elbaz, and many of its signature techniques were taken up in the collection. It was recently announced that an exhibition to be seen at the Palais Galliera Fashion Museum in Paris from March 5 to July 10, 2022 will showcase all of the looks from the show.
3rd place: Pyer Moss, A / W 21 Couture – WAT U IZ.
In July, history was made when Kerby Jean-Raymond, the designer of Pyer Moss, was the first black designer to officially take part in Haute Couture Fashion Week with a collection. Jean-Raymond was forced to postpone the date after heavy rainfall, and the show finally took place two days later. The presentation began with a notable spoken word opener from former Black Panther Party chair Elaine Brown, followed by a performance by 22Gz, who, like Jean-Raymond, is from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The collection was shown at Villa Lewaro, New York State, the home of Madam CJ Walker, an inventor and the first female self-made millionaire in American history. A poignant place, because each of the 25 looks contained an object that was invented by a black person, from the fire extinguisher to the cell phone to the traffic light. The designer’s website says: “The collection is both a homage to black culture and a criticism of all those who want to make profit from the trauma of blacks.”
2nd place: Louis Vuitton, S / S 22 Menswear – Virgil Was Here
In fond memory of the recently deceased fashion designer Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton paid tribute to the life and legacy of a creative genius with a remake of its S / S 22 collection. The show took place in Miami, at the same time as Art Basel. The visitors were ferried over from the mainland in a 30-minute journey to a shipyard where the show took place. The celebrities arrived in gray speedboats that had the LV logo and monogram printed on the side in blue along with the numbers 7.2, repeating Abloh’s seventh show for the house.
There were many familiar faces among the approximately 1,500 spectators. Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband Kanye West made a rare public appearance together with their daughter North. Rihanna, A $ AP Rocky, Bella Hadid, Pharrell Williams, Venus Williams, Joe Jonas, Ricky Martin, 21 Savage, Joan Smalls and Jesse Williams were also in attendance. As for the clothing, there were allusions to the ravers of the ’90s, including many solid and ombré colors. Knitted soccer jerseys from the Vuitton brand, pleated or flared skirts, suit jackets with belts and puffer jackets. Each look featured pockets in different styles, including a fun backpack in the shape of a neon colored fish.
1st place: Gucci, Pre-Fall 22 – Love Parade
What a spectacle! In early November, 115 models and celebrities including Macaulay Culkin, St. Vincent, Miranda July, Jodie Turner-Smith and Jared Leto ran in numerous looks, including sequined dresses, boas and three-piece suits in the style of the 70s that relate to the house and Hollywood past and present related to Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Sitting in the front row with Miley Cyrus, Lizzo and Serena Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow wore an updated version of the Tom Ford-designed red velvet Gucci tuxedo she wore in the mid-1990s. Michele credits his mother, a film lover and assistant at a production company, for sparking his love for old Hollywood.
“HOLLYWOOD seemed to be a bright and shining star,” wrote Michele in his Show Notes, explaining the glamorous aesthetics of the cinema of the golden age that often characterize his collections. “Nine letters that ooze with desire.”
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ