Backstage at Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring 2015

Thursday June 26, 2014 – Serre du Parc Andre Citroen

“While last season’s collection was about looking down at the earth from above, this time we’ve looking up at the stars,” says Kim Jones.

While travelling in Rajasthan Jones discovered Sawai Jai Singh, the king who built Jaipur, India’s pink city, and constructed its fantastic Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory gardens in the early 18th century, that inspired the set design this season.

From Jaipur and the palaces of the lake cities of Udaipur to Ranthambore, the former hunting grounds of the maharajas of Jaipur, and the Taj Mahal at Agra, a vision of contemporary and eternal India, which predates European traditions and spans over five to six hundred years, has been remixed by Louis Vuitton into a glamorous blend of sophisticated embellished fabrics, smart military tailoring and inventive sport style. In a spectacular modernization of classic Indian embellishment, Shisha mirrored embroidery with LV engraved mirrors, appears constellation-style across flight jackets with blue tone-on-tone high textured embroidery in ceramic-coated and Mako yarns; a glamorous sport hybrid that can be worn with high-waist military shorts, or zipped into an all-in-one military flight suit.

Four special edition trunks, a desktop case, guitar case, record case and composer’s case designed to hold music paper, ink and notebooks, have been included in this collection in aged natural cowhide with fine calf interior.
The Maison’s classic Monogram signature has been reversed in three new bags featuring LV Monogram trim on solid tanned deer leather in the season’s doctor bag, soft weekend suitcase and vertical tote with Monogram straps and tags.

This season also marks the launch of the new V bag collection. Made of an exclusive light, supple and water-repellent leather, it is especially designed for modern urban nomads: multi-purpose bags fitting all daily activities, from gym to the office. Signed with a Gaston V, the collection provides a contemporary vision of travel, matching the pace of 21st century.

Singh’s 19th century descendant, Sawai Ram Singh II’s crossed bridge glasses also inspired this season’s eyewear, while Indian sundials appear on belt buckles, cuff links, rings and bag charms along with a guitar flectrum pendant in malachite on a necklace.

Footwear for this modern Indian vision is both contemporary and precious featuring aligator leather sneakers in simple black or white.