Louis Vuitton Resort 2016
Louis Vuitton gathered some of the best and the brightest in Palm Springs, California. A place known for its appealing escapisms: miles of desert landscape (and palm trees), famous modern architecture, lush green golf courses (amid a drought), it’s every-day-heat and it’s music festivals had for a day become home to the Parisian Maison.
The Bob Hope estate (listed at $24.9 for those interested) which was designed by the famous American architect John Lautner in 1973, sits 200 feet above the Coachella Valley in the San Jacinto Hills providing a clear view from the 23,000-square-foot “contemporary castle” as Bob’s wife Dolores once said of the estate.
The extravagant show begins exactly at 6:15 pm as the sun began to set beneath the mountains while guests and models alike sat upon plywood and mirrored plexiglass stools complementing the tall mirrored speaker system spread about throughout the back lawn creating a futuristic aesthetic juxtaposed against the classic Palm Spring settings.
Through the windows of the home, one could see models walking across the estate’s second floor and strategically perched above looking down from the balcony and descending from the staircase onto the back lawn to circle the pool and finally in front of guests like Michelle Williams, Kanye West, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Selena Gomez and more. (See Louis Vuitton’s star-studded guest list here.)
Palm Springs, a city that initiated the resort mindset becomes the scene where all these travels play out, like an endless come and go, between here, there and elsewhere…
Long free-flowing skirts, crisscrossed leather belts on bare midriffs paid homage to the classic Southern California free-flowing look while tying in Nicolas Ghesquiere’s signature. Each look was paired with heavy heeled desert boots, a unique pair of white sneakers and a classic dress shoe with white detailing and a translucent heel. Amongst the collection were standouts like quilted housecoats in unique prints made an appearance providing a twist on a classic 1960’s Palm Springs staple. Stunning lamb leather embroidered dresses soon followed that added lovely glitz to subterranean glamour. And lest we forget the hot pants that we will inevitably be seen on every starlet next summer.
As was once said by Lautner of the Bob and Delores Hope residence: “The purpose of architecture is to create timeless, free, joyous spaces for all activities of life.” Perhaps so than could be said of the same for Nicholas’ vision of his California dream collection.