Louis Vuitton Archives - CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

by Isaac Perry

‘Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome Virgil Abloh as its new Men’s Artistic Director”

Read the press release earlier this week, so the rumours were true, Virgil Abloh is the new Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton appointed on the 26^th of this month, changing the face of fashion.

Having been an immovable force in the fashion industry over the past couple of years his brand off-white has caught global headlines and been awarded multiple honours, making streetwear the new desirable high fashion. Abloh has become Louis Vuitton’s first African-American Artistic Director and become one of a few black designers to have graced French fashion houses, with many recognisable names such as Gucci, Balenciaga and Burberry all being lead by white males and the introduction of Virgil to this elite group of brands will bring a fresh diversity, not seen within the last couple of years.

Louis Vuitton is one of the eldest and most recognisable brands around the world with its ever so iconic print desired by so many. The brand fused high fashion and streetwear together through their most recent collaboration with skatewear brand Supreme, which I’m sure you were all aware of. This collaboration was down to Abloh’s predecessor Kim Jones’s creative influence, with Virgil being a natural progression into this realm.

Virgil has been quoted saying, “This opportunity to think through what the next chapter of design and luxury will mean at a brand that represents the pinnacle of luxury was always a goal in my wildest dreams”.

Former creative director Kim Jones was appointed in 2011 and brought what could be considered a new look to this industry, he has now has moved to fellow LVMH- owned brand Christian Dior, is this the shift we have been waiting for?

London has been a dominating force in fashion over the past decades, however, are the iconic French fashion houses taking back the crown? We’ll have to wait and see.

“For the last eight to 10 years we’ve been having this conversation about what’s new, and for me, that has to do with making luxury relatable across generations.” It has been revealed that he has been putting together an eight-page brand Manuel defining the new ethos of Vuitton, making it more relatable to what people actually wear, however forming a luxury vision.

His first show for Louis Vuitton will take place this June at Paris Men’s Fashion week and to say that we are excited to see what creative flair he brings to the brand would be a massive understatement, keep your eyes peeled.

Words by Charlie Britton

It’s safe to say that Louis Vuitton is one of the worlds most renowned and recognisable brands to date. An international leading design house and household name that was founded in 1854, Louis Vuitton produces an extensive range of luxury products including trunks and leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes, watches jewellery and an extensive list of accessories.

In it’s latest release, Louis Vuitton has proven that it can keep up with the times by producing it’s very first smartwatch, the Tambour Horizon. Following the likes of other brands such as TAG Heuer and Montblanc, LV has launched a pricey £1,905 Android Wear-powered smartwatch to compete in the luxury smartwatch market. Aside from even higher priced finishes, there is also a variety of luxury straps on offer that are priced additionally, so you can expect a hefty number to show up at checkout.

Working closely with Google and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., LV has worked relentlessly to produce a smartwatch worthy of it’s label and price tag, combining all the technical capabilities of a smart watch with the elegance and beauty of a Tambour, the iconic watch that began Louis Vuitton’s watch making journey in 2002. Branded as the ideal watch for the contemporary traveller, the Tabour Horizon delivers the very best technology, expertise and design with a Switzerland-made watch that will remain functional across the globe, including China.

With technologies developed in California’s famous Silicon Valley, you can guarantee that this smartwatch is packed full of useful and technologically advanced features. Aside from the obvious mobile phone functions, the Tambour Horizon promises as intelligent platform that will enhance your experience wherever you might go.

An exclusive ‘My Flight’ function emphasizes the contemporary traveller element as it acts as your personal assistant when at the airport, monitoring departure and arrival times, delays and cancellations, gate numbers and information and time remaining until landing. Louis Vuitton’s smartwatch also connects to digital versions of the famous LV city guides, making use of an intelligent geolocation function to connect the wearer to cities, local restaurants, hotels and spots of interest.
The Tambour Horizon is also waterproof up to 30 meters and promises a 22 hour battery life, ample to get you through a long haul flight and every day-to-day life.

In regards to the hefty price tag, the Tambour Horizon is definitely a step up when it comes to the line-up of luxury smartwatches. It doesn’t seem that any form of consensus on the pricing of luxury goods such as smartwatches is being thrown into the mix any time soon, so for the time being, this product will remain a luxury for those who have the disposable income to indulge.

Here at Clothes Make The Man, we’re in agreement that this is probably one of the nicest smartwatches to date. We cant promise that the technology is a cut above the rest as it does carry the same Android Wear platform as other smartwatches in the same league, however the sleek design and exclusive performance features and apps might be enough to take this little guy to the top.

by Keanu Adorable

Louis Vuitton will present an exclusive preview of their collaboration with Japanese creative Hiroshi Fujiwara’s acclaimed label Fragment Design, with a pop-up boutique located inside Harrod’s department store in London.

Centred around on a fictional band, Louis V and The Fragments the collaboration reflects their stage wardrobe and merchandise.“Hiroshi is an influencer in the trust sense of the work – he is a true icon of mine,” said Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director Kim Jones. “With this collaboration, I wanted to do something quite unexpected, something perhaps more youthful than we usually do.” The two first met over twenty years ago and, with this collaboration, their shared passions for pop culture, graphic motifs, sportswear history and the icons of menswear design merge, uniting references from Paris to Tokyo.

The collection revolves around varsity items, and fresh bold embroideries and prints. An F for Fragment patch and motif decorate outerwear and knitwear. Accessories are playful; Boy Scout patches, rainbow metallic pins and varsity patches that draw on icons from the Louis Vuitton archive. Headwear encompasses a ranger hat and, in a nod to the eccentric styles of the 1980’s Paris-Tokyo beret. The pop-up at Harrods will offer a variety of items from the collection including leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories, as well as exclusive items offered only in the pop-up.

The pop-up will be located on the lower ground floor in Harrod’s department store and unveiled to the public on April 27th for three weeks.

Take a look at the collection online at Louis Vuitton’s website uk.louisvuitton.com

by Keanu Adorable

Rumours of a collaboration between French label Louis Vuitton and New York brand Supreme have been circling the internet for the past weeks which have sent various sects of social media into a frenzy, and now these rumours have been confirmed when models donned out pieces and accessories during at the LV Autumn/Winter 2017 show this Paris Fashion Week.

Under the creative direction of British Designer Kim Jones – who took the helm of Louis Vuitton’s men’s division in 2011 – and with the cooperation of New York-based cult skatewear brand, Supreme and founder James Jebbia, Louis Vuitton presented a lineup of Autumnal looks that incorporated Supreme’s bold red and white box logo branding. “You can’t have the conversation of New York men’s wear without Supreme right now, because it’s such a massive global phenomenon,” said Jones in a pre-show interview with WWD.

The two labels have had an interesting history with Louis Vuitton filing a lawsuit against Supreme in 2000 after they created a mock skate deck wrapped in LV’s traditional insignia. Seventeen years later, how times have changed, and given the history of these brands and the cultural relevance of both of their logos, this could be noted as the most hyped-upt collaboration of the century so far. In fact, Jones has some personal history with the brand. “I used to work when I was at college unpacking boxes of Supreme at a company in London that distributed it when it was just starting out, so it’s something I’ve known all along in my life.”

A homage to New York’s history as a thriving hotspot of creativity, the collection is smart-but-cool vibes, with loose cuts, relaxed garments and luxe fabrics. Look past the barrage of box logos and you’ll find easy-fit tailoring, some nods to workwear and some really sick silk pieces decorated with Art Deco motifs.

Unlike prior Supreme collaborations, this one will not be available at Supreme’s brick-and-mortar stores or online. The collection will be sold exclusively through Louis Vuitton stores later this year. Jones said the line designed with Supreme would go on sale at select Vuitton stores on July 17, but would probably also as pop-up stores are likely to be opened “in areas where both of them are popular,” according to Jones. Check out highlights from the Paris show below & start saving for July.

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view the runway and collection at: louisvuitton.com

We arrive in the final destination on our round up of the male Fashion weeks for Autumn/Winter 2015. Bonjour Paris and we start the proceedings off with a brand not short on that certain Je ne said quoi, yes Louis Vuitton and what a way to start. Kim Jones just seems to be going from strength to strength during his tenure with the Luxury Power house. He drew his inspiration this season, on a personal hero, in the shape of British Designer Christopher Nemeth who was relatively unknown outside of Japan. He interpreted four of Nemeth’s signature prints and at the same time managed to work them expertly into the Vuitton aesthetic, that only he could have achieved to such a high level. Once again leaving everyone, a baited for next season to see what magic he may conjure.

Next up, onto a designer who left me agog with the beauty of his collection, Junya Watanabe, who based the look of his Autumn/Winter 2015 collection on the sub culture of the ‘sappers’ the nattily dressed gentlemen from the Congo. Think, those immaculately dressed dandies of 1930’s Harlem in their Sunday Best fit for Church and an audience with God himself. Nonetheless, this was no retro obsessed collection, this was modernity personified.

Then to Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy, we saw a departure from the sweatshirts and Tees which have made the Fashion brand such a favourite of the likes of Professor Green through to Kanye West in recent years and a move towards the formal roots of the Parisian house. However, this was a dark and eerie at time unnerving presentation by Tisci and the Devil was literally in the detail.

Madison Kitsune

Paul & Joe

Ami may not have the heritage of some of the other players on the Paris schedule but it nonetheless delivers and leaves you wanting to run backstage and put an order in with them there and then, not having to wait 6 or so months before it hits the stores and websites. It offers impeccably desirable clothes that you just want. Another French brand able to entice us with such wearable and interesting ranges is Carven offering up a more boxy and sculpted silhouette this season. Relative new comers are Maison Kitsune the duo of Masaya Kuroki and Gildas Loaec, think of this like a pseudoFrench Alban, where they leave you wanting literally every piece from the collection from suiting to Tote bag. The thing all these brands have in common is their comforting lack of avant garde, there is no danger you may need the lookbook just to know have to wear an outfit from these brands but you can rest assure you still know, you look the bis when wearing their wares. This is the same with Paul & Joe, this is not a tricksy brand, where from season to season you’re not quite sure what you might see or get from them. This is a true bastion of wearable apparel.

Kris Van Assche for Dior Homme, seemed to run his show in reverse this season opting to start the presentation with formal attire in tuxedos in various forms then moving between smart and smart casual throughout. Mixing that juxtaposition of high formal then throwing in denim, a baseball cap, trainers or maybe even all three, just because he can.

Next we have the Luxury house of Luxury Houses, Hermes offering a Masterclass in the modern male’s wardrobe and what it SHOULD contain for every possible eventuality, whether that be a business meeting or what to wear for that all important down time, Veronique Nichanian had it covered to a tee, T-shirt that is.

Like Hermes, Alber Elbaz over at Lanvin did his take on what a the contemporary man needs for his functional wardrobe. He divided it into uniform sections which included, pinstripes, tweeds in grey, country plaids, army coats and military jackets.

Penultimately, we have Sir Paul Smith flying the flag for British Sartorialism on the continent. Like so many brands this season he too has adopted the maxim of Orange is the new Black or maybe he’s been watching too much Netflix, either way we have seen everyone from Christopher Raeburn to Missoni, Moschino and Vivienne Westwood all take on the sunshine hue. Smith looked back to move forward this season and saught his design team to plunder his archive of decades of hoarding.

Finally we have Umit Benan who like Pablo Copolla for Bally seems to have been inspired by the films of Wes Anderson. Rather than the The Royal Tenenbaums, Benan appears to have emmerised himself in ‘The Life aquatic’ as whether is was fishing rods or bucket hats his models possessed some element of fishing paraphernalia. But at no time did Umit collection veer to the realms of silliness or gimmick.

Virgil Abloh x Louis Vuitton – What does this mean for the world of high fashion?

by Isaac Perry

Introducing Louis Vuitton’s first Smartwatch – The Tambour Horizon

Louis Vuitton x Fragment Design Collaboration Harrods Pop Up

Louis Vuitton and Supreme: A Collaboration From The Streets to The Runway

Paris Menswear Shows Highlights – Autumn/Winter 2015

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