Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2023 Seoul Fashion Show

Louis Vuitton's Pre-Fall 2023 fashion show was a sight to behold. Designer Nicolas Ghesquière chose to set the stage on Jamsugyo, a humble pedestrian path hanging beneath the Banpo Bridge, where commuters cross between Seoul's north and south banks. This submersible structure, which disappears under the river during the summer monsoon, created an illusion of disappearance and reappearance, adding to the show's ambiance. The scenography was entrusted to Squid Game director Hwang Dong-Hyuk, who showered projections of amber light that flickered like moving water over the naked bridge, while the thrum of distant drums and whale sounds created a sense of disquiet.

The collection featured hooded tops, bodysuits, and simple, strong colors that harkened back to Ghesquière's early days at the house, with a hint of sparkle and flou remaining in the closing passage of elevated loungewear. The designer resisted the urge to pander to the locals with an inauthentic nod to their traditional dress or other gimmicks, instead opting to revisit the house codes he has spent the last decade refining. The LV logo made muted appearances, as a micro-monogram checkerboard print pant and a crepe wool bodysuit that plunges toward the navel worn with a horsebit belt.

The show read like a dialogue between Paris and Seoul, as Ghesquière put it, and was a diplomatic journey, a Louis Vuitton caravanserai that came to South Korea to recount various chapters in its history. It was a testament to the designer's blending of the trappings of luxury with the grit of the street. The finale featured fountains along the Banpo Bridge going off, sending jets of water arching into the Han River as Hoyeon Jung walked past a front row filled with K-pop stars. One felt that Louis Vuitton had made its claim quite succinctly. Like Dior, who took its pre-fall collection to Mumbai last month, Vuitton is intent on upping the stakes in turning the pre-season into an extravagant destination that equals resort.