By Peter Yeap
For the French luxury label's Spring/Summer 2014 menswear collection, Louis Vuitton Men’s Studio and Style Director Kim Jones takes us on a trip, traveling from the eastern Himalayas of last season to the sunny West Coast of the United States of the upcoming season.
Named as the new style director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s ready-to-wear division in 2011 and replacing the out-going Paul Helbers who had himself held the position for five years, the British designer has since introduced a distinct modernity and innovation into the label, an important stimulus for Louis Vuitton as it looks to tap into the growing menswear market.
Kim Jones, who was once listed as No.20 in the top 100 influential people in fashion by The Face magazine back in 2004, has certainly risen in stature over the last 2 years. On 27 June in Paris, he held an American Road Trip-themed fashion show, commenting:
The collection is really about the freedom of the road and that freedom itself being luxurious
Sportswear had always been fundamental to Jones’s design philosophy, but his signature has evolved to incorporate both sportswear and tailored formal wear. Embracing the iconography of classic American sportswear with white, blue and red silk-graph and checkered tailored designs, Jones showcased looks that are inherently modern and timeless.
Having spent most of his youth traveling with his family, Jones incorporated his take on American popular and clothing culture into Louis Vuitton menswear, producing Vuitton signature monogram backpacks and embellishing the classic denim jacket with the softest blue suede.
A motorcycle jacket with an elongated “V” logo was also one of the key memorable (and predictably highly sell-able) looks from the upcoming Spring Summer 2014 collection.
Jones also displayed his sophistication in deploying fine tailoring into the formal wear pieces, which included a fantastic retro black Monogram silk jacket, matched with fluid pants and silvery shoes.
David Beckham and Victor Cruz from the New York Giants football team, were both styled exclusively and exquisitely in Louis Vuitton menswear for the occasion.
Also in attendance were Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Louis Vuitton Michael Burke, Director of Communication for Louis Vuitton Antoine Arnault, French actor Pio Marmaï, American singer Michael Stipe, Marc Jacobs and Asian actor/singer Aarif Lee, who no doubt added to the glitter of the front row of the fashion show.
See the complete runway looks
