Tyler, tearstears andand tribute:tribute: InsideInside Virgil Abloh’s finalfinal showshow forfor Louis Vuitton

The collection for Virgil Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton show was presented at Paris Fashion Week on Thursday, the 20th of January. Since 2018, Virgil has been the artistic director for Louis Vuitton and also founded the Off-White brand. The men’s fall-winter collection by Virgil came after his tragic death on the 28th of November 2021. He made an incomparable impact, and his influence and legacy were honoured in his final collection.

Tyler, the Creator

The show was scored by Tyler, the Creator, who also made an appearance as a model in the show. Tyler rode a bicycle down the catwalk in a jumper and loose trouser ensemble. His musical ode paid homage to Virgil (a successful DJ) whilst complimenting the performative nature of the show.

Virgil Abloh’s Final Show

Firstly, the show featured an orchestra sitting around a long dining table. The set was a disjointed image of a household, aligning with the name of the collection, ‘Louis Dreamhouse’. The surrealist designs honoured the picture of a ‘Dreamhouse’ as the models and dancers demonstrated fluid movements around the set. Furthermore, the show incorporated aspects of street-running and hip-hop dancing into the catwalk. Abloh’s revolutionary changes within the fashion industry were front and centre posthumously, as he permanently altered the boundaries between luxury and streetwear.

This collection truly felt like a ‘full-circle’ moment. Virgil’s ‘Dreamhouse’ paid tribute to his first collection for Louis Vuitton in 2018, which was a Wizard of Oz-themed collection. The fragmented house alludes to the tornado-torn home in which Dorothy has her dream, which constitutes the majority of the film.

An Overview of the Collection

The collection was adventurous and modern, in keeping with Virgil Abloh’s trademark ability to push boundaries and reinvent the fashion landscape. His creation of the Off-White brand blurred the distinction between streetwear and high fashion.

The Louis Vuitton collection featured a mix of monochromatic looks, oversized silhouettes and statement patterns. The show was held in Paris for menswear fashion week, but featured a mix of genders. This is an appreciated and necessary consideration of inclusion within the fashion industry, additionally aligning with Abloh’s values as a designer.

The show closed with monochromatic white looks. Some looks featured wings in an apt angelic ending to honour the designer at the end of his final collection. This moment was particularly moving as I witnessed a designer grappling with his mortality. That is his lasting legacy within the collection. The models wearing monochromatic white outfits remained on the catwalk. They were later re-joined by the rest of the arsenal and Abloh’s creative team.

This show may have been one of the best I have ever seen. Everything, from the musical score to the set design and the movement of the models and dancers, was immaculate. The collection was so encapsulating of Virgil’s contribution to fashion that it felt like the perfect homage to the designer. The show represented the surrealist designs while also solidifying Virgil Abloh’s lasting legacy. 

Image credits: Louis Vuitton.