#2015 – Nicolas Ghesquiere

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Nicolas Ghesquiere is praised by many as the designer, who perfectly highlights the quintessence of a 21st century wardrobe of a woman – his absolutely wearable and hi-techn clothes are all about comfort and a kind of refreshing, neo-eclecticism. His year at Louis Vuitton is also a year full of diversity – definitely, Nicolas and his team represent the French maison as a multi-cultural and stereotype-breaking brand through beautiful pink and afro haired models walking their world-wide runways (we have even came across Palm Springs this year for the Resort 2016 collection)! Thanks to Nicolas Ghesquiere, Louis Vuitton has become a label that is more than clothes and a vast range of accessories – now, Louis Vuitton is an open-minded, lifestyle project.

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AW15 – Autumn-winter 2014 was about 70’s. Spring-summer 2015 was looking forward to vintage florals and denim. The autumn-winter 2015 collection was “looking into the future”, as Nicolas Ghesquiere stated backstage. And, it really did. Presented at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, the designer’s muse, Freja Beha, walked down the boldly coloured runway in a fluffy, white shearling coat. Then, the model favourites like Lineisy Montero and Fernanda Ly wore abstract peplum tops, satin suites with logo appliqued t-shirts and lace dresses. Kept in a rich colour palette, Ghesquiere’s conceptual take on the winter wardrobe is both über-feminine and simultaneously casual, noting the luxe sweat-pants and lovely tank-tops.

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Resort’16 – Nicolas Ghesquiere amazed me during his recent Resort collection. Louis Vuitton‘s is the first collection, in which he shows he is really the boss of the brand. The collection, presented in Palm Springs, California, was a sunny blast of fresh, slightly eccentric fashion. Nicolas showcased the silhouettes, that have never been present in his previous shows for the house and Balenciaga. Long, woman-warrior dresses with embellished gems; high-waisted trousers with harness belts; beautifully laser-cut leather jackets, which reminded me of the Victoriana era, brought the mood of Nicolas’ favourite musician, Grimes. But also, some sexy shorts and crop-tops appeared, giving us the vibe of the real all-American summer.  What should I say more? California suits Nicolas Ghesquiere as much as Paris.

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SS16 – This season, Nicolas Ghesquiere really did show his refreshing stance at Vuitton – cyber luxury is the best term that reflects the mix of exclusive logo prints and pink-haired model wearing highly hype (whatever this means nowadays) clothes. Nicolas definitely had Japan on his mind this time – the Harajuku girls with manga-inpired robot tiaras and platform sandals make this collection sharp, but with a slight bit of kawaii flavour coming straightly from Tokyo. However, the collection had something more ethnical, too – note the lovely hand-stitched embroideries on suede biker jackets below. Or the feather details on mesh tank-tops and badass gloves. This how you do ethno, Valentino – keep it discreet, but appropriate. But what really hit me this time, is the amazing talent of fusing fashion history that the designer is known for – the Victorian blouses with leather vests and medieval inspired gowns (Resort 2016 continuation) have never, ever looked so modern as in Nicolas’ vision. These shirts, dresses, motorcycle leggings and, yes, jumpsuits (!) are highly in need. Also, I am drooling over these leather, pleated totes – the beauty of these accessories makes them conceptual objects, rather than just “bags”.

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A Re-See

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It’s not Alessandro Michele, the designer behind Gucci, who made everybody fall in love with vintage fashion and nostalgia. And definitely, he wasn’t the first. Re-See is the result of long term collaboration between Sofia Bernardin and Sabrina Marshall, two fashion veterans who previously worked at prestigious Vogue and super chic Self Service magazine. One day, Sabrina and Sofia decided to bring the fashion-obsessed people their own, virtual boutique, offering a beautifully curated selection of authentic, pre-owned pieces in the perfect condition. The Paris-based on-line store has some real treasures, which appear to be fashion history’s most covetted pieces – like the super rare Goa bag by Hermes and a impressive collection of Nicolas Ghesquiere’s favourite pieces from his tenure at Balenciaga. Lately, the founders of Re-See dropped a wide range of Yves Saint Laurent from the 60’s and 70’s (the famous, hand-embroidered “Ballet Des Russe” gowns are here, too – Vyshyvanka by Vita Kin, take notes). However, what really makes Re-See so appealing is their way of presenting these one-of-a-kind, pristine condition clothes. Their signature, fashion editorial style and styling tips make buying luxury, yet vintage pieces a new experience.

More at resee.com – and here is a selection of my favourite pieces from their on-line boutique!

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CHANEL / PRE-FALL 2009 MOSCOW COLLECTION JACKET

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SAINT LAURENT / 1979 RUFFLED ENSEMBLE

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FENDI / FUR CUFF JACKET

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CÉLINE / 60’S HORSE-SHOE BELT

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MIU MIU / S/S 2010 TRI-COLOUR CAPRETTO BOOTIES

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SAINT LAURENT / 70’S MILITARY JACKET

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LOUIS VUITTON / RARE 1996 “CENTENAIRE” SHOULDER BAG

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MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA / WHITE SILK SCARF

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MISSONI / 90S SEQUIN TUNIC ENSEMBLE

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SAINT LAURENT / 70’S BROWN HOODED CAPE

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MIU MIU / S/S 2011 ELECTRIC SHIFT DRESS

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CHANEL / RED CAMELLIA BROOCHES

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PIERRE CARDIN / RARE VINTAGE VELVET CORSET ENSEMBLE

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PRADA / F/W 2011 RUNWAY SUEDE PYTHON BOOTS

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GUCCI / TOM FORD 2003 SHIRT

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HERMÈS / RARE VINTAGE ‘GOA’ BAG

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SAINT LAURENT / 1976 RUSSIAN COLLECTION DRESS

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LOUIS VUITTON / S/S 2010 PEG HEEL CLOGS

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SAINT LAURENT / 1960’S EMBROIDERED CANVAS ENSEMBLE

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BALENCIAGA / F/W 2012 METALLIC TONED TROUSERS

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JOHN GALLIANO SLIP DRESS

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SAINT LAURENT / S/S 2007 FLOWER-GARLANDED GOWN

Throwback Sunday – Balenciaga SS98′

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#ThrowbackSunday – spring / summer 1998

The debut collection of Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga. When the yet unknown designer came to Cristobal Balenciaga’s dusty and forgotten brand, it sold funeral clothing to Japanese licences. So, after the failure of the former creative director, Josephus Thimister, Nicolas had a field to show-off his talent. For the first collection in 1998, Ghesquiere decided to keep it mostly black, concentrating on the variety of silhouettes and sharp tailoring. Even though the collection felt very modest at the first sight, it was just a teaser of Nicolas’ prosperous and bold 15 years at Balenciaga.

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Let this mourning parade of black-only looks be a quiet nod to Friday’s horryfying events that took place in Paris.

Cyber Luxury. Louis Vuitton SS16

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Spring-summer 2016 season at Louis Vuitton is his best to date. Nicolas Ghesquiere really did show his refreshing stance at the maison – cyber luxury is the best term that reflects the mix of exclusive logo prints and pink-haired model wearing highly hype (whatever this means nowadays) clothes. Nicolas definitely had Japan on his mind this time – the Harajuku girls with manga-inpired robot tiaras and platform sandals make this collection sharp, but with a slight bit of kawaii flavour coming straightly from Tokyo. However, the collection had something more ethnical, too – note the lovely hand-stitched embroideries on suede biker jackets below. Or the feather details on mesh tank-tops and badass gloves. This how you do ethno, Valentino – keep it discreet, but appropriate. But what really hit me this time, is the amazing talent of fusing fashion history that the designer is known for – the Victorian blouses with leather vests and medieval inspired gowns have never, ever looked so modern as in Nicolas’ vision. These shirts, dresses, motorcycle leggings and, yes, jumpsuits (!) are highly in need. Also, I am drooling over these leather, pleated totes – the beauty of these accessories makes them conceptual objects, rather than just “bags”.

Ghesquiere, and his model casting director, Ashley Brokaw, have the most diverse set of girls during Paris Fashion Week. Louis Vuitton is a world-wide  known brand, and it should be praised for having afro, bald, mullet and even pink-haired models (so Grimes, Nicolas’ muse and favourite musician of the moment!). Thanks to Nicolas Ghesquiere, Louis Vuitton became a label, that is more than clothes and a vast range of accessories – now, Louis Vuitton is an open-minded, lifestyle project. Bravo!

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The NG Day

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10th of May – this means, it’s Nicolas Ghesquiere‘s birthday! Let’s celebrate it, by looking back at his biggest moments at Balenciaga, and now at Louis Vuitton – the time-line proves that this guy is a real fashion visionaire. Wishing him all the best!

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AW01 – the “all black” collection. Nicolas showed his amazing tailoring skills through elegant jackets, coats and blazers.

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AW02 – One of my favourite collections ever. He showed soft, oversized sweaters and jackets, and a small group of colorful knee-length collage dresses apparently influenced by Cubist paintings.

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AW04 – This shearling jacket from 2004 is my dream.

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SS06 – The jacket from this collection photographed by Nick Knight.

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Nicolas and his friend, Charlotte Gasinsbourg, in AW10.

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SS11 – Campaign photographed by Inez & Vinoodh.

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AW12 – Cosmic sweatshirts.

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AW14 – Arrival at Louis Vuitton.

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Louis Vuitton SS15 photographed by Juergen Teller.

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Jeanne Damas in SS15‘s corduroy trousers and bra.

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AW15 – Fernanda Ly on the runway.

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Resort 2016 – An extravagant show in Palm Springs, California.

TBC.