LOUIS VUITTON x FORNASETTI

Paris meets Milan, and fashion meets interior design in the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Fornesetti. The result is a capsule collection for this winter that stands out for its designs and unexpected twists.

THE COINCIDENCE

Collaborations are nothing new, but they are constantly taking up space in the fashion and beauty world, seeking a much-desired market share through a win-win situation, where both parties benefit. On the other hand, other reasons for a collaboration can be strengthening the image, the take-off of the prestige, or the anniversaries that allow for limited collections.

An anniversary is the reason for this meeting between Italy and France: the 200 years of the founder of Louis Vuitton. On this occasion, the company announced the collaboration with the famous Fornasetti, whose handmade ceramics with the famous black and white cameo faces, ancient coins and architectural details from the Renaissance and Baroque periods are equally valuable to an haute couture piece- as was Pierro Fornasetti’s plan, who created the atelier back in 1940.  

the inspiration

A common element of the two houses is the craftsmanship, the ingenuity, and the legacy, elements that result in life work and – why not? – art. So, Milan, where Fornasetti was born, became for a long time the second home for Louis Vuitton’s artistic director, Nicolas Ghesquière. There, in the secret studio, he studied the files that include some of Fornasetti’s most recognizable prints. Those prints were transferred to the fabric and leather to adorn Louis Vuitton’s capsule collection for this winter.

Velvet jersey dresses, oversized jackets and puffers, tops and skirts became the canvas for Fornasseti prints: ancient statues, buildings and details, applied with a discretion that does not overshadow the garment, instead, gives it an always recognizable artisanal touch.

If one asks who would be fascinated by such an approach, the keywords here are prestige and marketing, but surely the Millennials, who probably know Fornasetti, could relate to the capsule collection.

collector’s items

But even if this is not the case, the Cannes bucket bag alone, adorned with the building reminiscent of the insurmountable Renaissance Baptistery in Florence, a famous Fornasetti motif, is enough to turn the bag into a collectible. Likewise with Capucines, in which the metallic monogram of Louis Vuitton is complemented by motifs of Italian buildings or, in another version, with statues.

One would have to reconsider if expected Nicolas Ghesquière to fall into the trap of presenting an ode to the classic. On the contrary, his approach is inspired by the philosophy of the house itself and Fornasetti’s key idea: the almost ironic approach of classical motifs. So, the rich colour, the fine fabrics, the laser cuts, and the great traditional techniques serve a design that speaks fluently today and, at times, with a pop aesthetic. And with a round Pochette Tête bag, adorned with the pattern of an ancient coin, even better.