Virgil Abloh's first pre-collection for Louis Vuitton highlights the designer's attempt to briefly stray away from recognizable fashion moments and take on the task of creating everyday wear. In a short video, Abloh designates his signature headers to each phase of the creative process behind his latest collection: intention, inspiration, theme, community, casting and philosophy.
In the first chapter "Intention," Abloh attempts to answer the big picture question: "What is luxury clothing?" He specifies that he's not seeking to determine the core of fashion, but rather investigates what is at "the root of clothing" and the "human desire" behind it.
By outlining the "great outdoors" inspiration, Abloh delves into individual muses, specifically Jamiroquai, who incorporated themes of different musical genres into his persona. This hybrid vision inspired Abloh to examine the blending of music and fashion and what music has the potential to be.
The collection features a notable "boyhood" motif, and focuses on showcasing the protective aspects of clothing and what makes menswear. Abloh alludes to this theme through his inclusion of thick gloves in various materials, utilitarian pockets, leather bucket hats, and classic mountaineer footwear. "I see and understand the vitality of clothes that people actually wear," Abloh explains. "The pre-collection was a safe haven to test out ideas, to start defining that palette."
In the latest iteration of "Vocabulary According to Virgil Abloh," the creative director acknowledges that the philosophy behind the pre-collection is centered around seeing references to certain styles and then being able to purchase them thereafter, with an individualized spin. "The chip on my shoulder that I'm trying to battle against is to figure out a way of analyzing, is fashion with a capital 'F' still relevant?"
Photos courtesy of Louis Vuitton