Unconventional Reality

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UNCONVENTIONAL REALITY

Join L’Officiel Indonesia as we fly to Singapore to take a closer look into the new universe of Louis Vuitton.

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BY CARISSA VICKY

reaking boundaries. Pushing the limits.

Perhaps that’s the words Nicolas Ghesquière lives by. His unexpected decision to feature Will Smith’s 17-years-old son, Jaden Smith, in Louis Vuitton’s womenswear campaign stirred quite a debate in social media.

Boldly sporting a pleated kilt and a mesh fringed tank completed with a biker jacket, Jaden seems unnerved posing with another three models that is dressed headto-toe in the Spring/Summer collection. Why him?

They asked. Why a guy in a womenswear campaign?

A question to which Ghesquière fluently answered, “Jaden Smith conveys something very interesting about the integration of a global wardrobe. He has found an instinctive balance that makes his extraordinary attitude a new norm. That really inspired me in the creative process for this collection.”

The surprise doesn’t just end there. Nicolas Ghesquière, once again, caused a commotion by making Lightning the face of Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2016 campaign and giving her a feminine makeover. The name might not ring a bell to most people, especially not to those who are unfamiliar with gaming world, as Lightning is a fictional heroine character taken from the

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well-known Japanese RPG, Final Fantasy XIII. While it might seems that Ghesquière have a fascination for tough-looking pink-haired ladies, Ghesquière explained that the reason behind is because she heralds a new era of expression – in a world where social networks and communications are seamlessly woven into our life, Lightning is the perfect avatar.

So standing at Singapore’s Museum of Art & Design that morning, where we were invited for a private preview of Louis Vuitton’s latest collection, all the puzzle pieces started coming together and a whole new universe started to unfold itself – one where Lightning is the exemplary character for the Spring/Summer 2016 collection. Set against minimalist installations, the room was packed with a wardrobe that looks like as if it was transported from the virtual world into the real world. A silk jumpsuit printed with the graphic of an airplane reactor, whip stitched creeper sandals, and even a video-gamecontroller-inspired Petite Malle in the house signature monogram. What most interesting are the leather straps banded around the hand of mannequin; an impeccably nifty accessories for a powerful punch. It is clear that the virtual aesthetic of video games is predominant in this role-playing universe that Ghesquière built this season.

Clothing aside, Ghesquière has also came up with a whole new series of Alma, Twist and Petite Malle to complete the whole look – as can be seen modeled by Lightning in the latest campaign.

While it is easy to overlook the essence of this collection and simply viewed it as another brilliant collection created based on a well-research concept, the idea is much more than meet the eye. The exploration of classic silhouettes into an urban wardrobe depicts a sartorial evolution experienced by almost everyone.

The quest to self-knowledge, freedom and discovering one’s own personalities lies at the very heart of this collection. A statement that brings us back to the real muse of the season, Jaden Smith. In an interview with GQ, Jaden stated that, “I’m just expressing how I feel inside, which is really no particular way because everyday it changes how I feel about the world and myself,” regarding his sometimes out-there outfit choices. Yet for Ghesquière, he represents a generation that has assimilated the codes of true freedom, one that is free of manifestos and questions about gender. A representation that fulfills the idea of fashion as a method of self-expression without limits, because just as they said, “the only limit is your imagination.”