In a combination of fashion and natural beauty, Louis Vuitton presented its highly anticipated Cruise 2024 Collection on the enchanting Isola Bella located on the stunning Lake Maggiore in Italy. 

Louis Vuitton attracted the world’s top stars and editors to Italy to present an aquatic adventure from its Cruise 2024 collection. For his latest Louis Vuitton Cruise collection, Nicolas Ghesquière staged his show on Isola Bella, a tiny island in a lake in northern Italy home to a simple fishing village. The spectacular island was built by various descendants of the aristocratic Borromeo family from the 17th century onwards to become a place known for its beauty throughout Europe. These gardens were used as a backdrop for some of the Star Wars filming, which has been a great inspirational reference for the collection, shaping its sci-fi silhouettes, the metallic finishes of the garments, the alien beauty of its clothing and its progressive adoption of technological fabrics. By presenting the show at Isola Bella, Louis Vuitton became the first to bring a major fashion show to this historic location.

Unexpectedly, unforeseen bad weather changed the house’s plans, as the show had been scheduled to take place in an outdoor setting on Isola Bella, a beautiful island in the middle of the lake. Instead, the show took place indoors on the mainland. “I was very attracted to the story around the lake, its fairytale creatures,” the designer said before the runway show, noting that he wanted the first models to convey “the feeling that they are coming out of the water, they are the explorers of the lake, beautiful creatures, almost like the mythological mermaids of the lake with dragon wings.”

However, Ghesquière’s imagination transformed the show into “botanical references”, inspired by the carefully tended gardens outside the 16th century Borromean palace.

“Surprisingly, Louis Vuitton has never shown in Italy,” Ghesquière said. ‘I wanted a special place, something new. Also: different architecture, different context. The paradoxical idea of a botanical cruise really intrigued me.’

Drawing inspiration from the show’s setting, the designer presented a variety of aquatic styles, many of them lined with waterproof neoprene. The models were reminiscent of sea creatures emerging from Lake Maggiore, with pleated fins protruding from the armpits and neckline, and goggles ready for deep-sea diving. Some displayed elaborate feathered headdresses and King Triton crowns, while others dressed up their underwater finds with the help of jewel-embellished tops.

Image courtesy: Louis Vuitton. Details.

“A cruise ship that gives rise to contemporary tales, populated by drifting creatures who abandon aquatic dwellings to discover terrestrial wonders,” the brand writes in the show notes, speaking of the combination of mystical and surprisingly concrete references found throughout the offerings. “The Cruise 2024 collection is a narrative of transformation. Sartorial characters that renew themselves, each in contact with the other.”

There were also baggy sweaters in pastel colors, sheer panels, elegant draped satin mini-dresses in jewel tones and even breezy culottes layered with bike shorts underneath. Bags ran the gamut from candy-colored bucket shapes to quilted shoulder bags, complete with LV emblem. On the other hand, sleek and chic soccer sneakers also played an important role in the collection, pleasing shoppers of all persuasions. Although the real hero of the shoe selection was a series of flat boots covered with straps.

The mix in the clothing was dizzying, combining garments seemingly lifted from the Borromeo lineage’s closets over the centuries with hyper-modern aqua garments. “The juxtaposition between the familiar and the remarkable,” was how Ghesquière described this mix.

Louis Vuitton hosted many A-listers at its Italian show. Emma Stone in an elegant, cropped two-piece suit, Cate Blanchett in a knee-length grey dress with a plunging neckline and a full open back. She was joined by other Louis Vuitton ambassadors, including Alicia Vikander, Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, and Jennifer Connelly. Other friends of the house also attended the cruise show, including Oprah Winfrey, Jaden Smith, and Chiara Ferragni along with her husband Fedez.

Chiara Ferragni and her husband, Fedez at LV Cruise 2024.

Take a closer look at the LV Cruise 2024 collection:

Image courtesy: Louis Vuitton.