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Louis Vuitton's Creative Director Unveils L.A. Art Exhibition

Cassidy Waters |
February 8, 2015 | 10:45 a.m. PST

Staff Reporter

The new Louis Vuitton exhibition is located in the heart of Los Angeles (Cassidy Waters)
The new Louis Vuitton exhibition is located in the heart of Los Angeles (Cassidy Waters)
L.V. has taken up residence in L.A.!

Friday, Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquiere, unveiled the first branch of his new major fashion exhibition in the heart of Los Angeles.

The exhibition is called “Louis Vuitton Series 2 – Past, Present, and Future.” It acts as a nontraditional interpretation of LV's spring-summer 2015 collection. Located in an empty photography warehouse, the interactive installation features nine distinctly themed displays, each illustrating a major aspect of Louis Vuitton's identity.

Upon walking up to the large studio space in the heart of the Hollywood arts and media district, I was a little intimidated. I could see velvet ropes outlining a path to black-clad bouncers standing at the doors. Feeling underdressed in an outfit that screamed "I just rolled out of bed," I follow a pair of girls decked out in heels and expensive dresses.

After entering the space, a black velvet curtain is pushed aside to reveal an oversized LV logo, acting as the entrance to the exhibit, called “Abstract Title.” House founder Louis Vuitton originally used the logo in 1854 as a stamp during his career as a trunk maker. The symbol has transcended time and is now a well-known fashion icon: “Reflected in multiple panels of light, the LV circle symbolizes how a century-old logo can travel across the years and projects even further into the future.“

The "Talking Faces" exhibit features the floating heads of models from the runway show (Cassidy Waters)
The "Talking Faces" exhibit features the floating heads of models from the runway show (Cassidy Waters)
The first room is called “Talking Faces” and depicts the opening animation from Ghesquiere’s Spring-Summer 2015 women’s collection runway presentation that took place on Oct. 1, 2014 in Paris. Holograms of the models faces are projected around the room while they chant in unison... Sounds creepy, right? Mirrors on either side add to the almost cult-like effect by giving the feeling of being trapped within the display. 

Continuing through the space takes the viewer to the “Magic Trunk,” a tribute to the genius that is Louis Vuitton himself. The trunk is one of the brand’s most iconic products and is considered the “absolute symbol of the House’s journey from past to present.” The display blends together different eras by recounting LV’s historic origins, taking a look at current designs and illustrating future ideas. The presentation shows a floating holographic trunk with projected videos playing to a sick soundtrack featuring... whom other than Queen Bey. 

The “Savoir-Faire” room comes next in the mazelike gallery. Videos and a large digital clock are projected onto the dark walls and follow the crafting of a Louis Vuitton piece in real time. The presentation reveals the secrets behind the brand’s exceptional craftsmanship and the meticulous hours dedicated to creating just one item. According to the exhibit’s description: “At Louis Vuitton, the length of time it takes to craft an object is never an issue: when it comes to true luxury, only time can reveal the whole story.“

The LV accessories from past and present pop against the white room in the "Accessories Gallery" (Cassidy Waters)
The LV accessories from past and present pop against the white room in the "Accessories Gallery" (Cassidy Waters)
In transitioning from the darkness to an almost perfectly white room, the stark contrast between the previous exhibits and the “Accessories Gallery” come as a shock at first. Once the eye adjusts to the new surroundings, however, patrons can see the various Louis Vuitton accessories displayed and scattered throughout the room. In addition to pieces from the current collection, the gallery also features iconic pieces from the past such as a shoe trunk from 1926 that belonged to the legendary actress Greta Garbo. Unfortunately, none of the pieces are for sale...

Exiting this gallery takes the viewer into a large open space containing loungelike seating areas as well as the three final exhibits. A diverse mix of fashionable individuals accustomed to the L.A. scene is scattered around the room.

Straight ahead is a large mirrored structure that houses the “Infinite Show” exhibit. The inside is a 360-degree projection room with mirrored walls and, you guessed it, more holograms. It lets viewers immerse themselves completely into the Louis Vuitton spring-summer 2015 runway presentation as they watch the show’s 48 looks on a continual loop from every direction.

The next room takes a behind-the-scenes look “Backstage.” It recreates the hectic atmosphere in the backstage area of a fashion show, recounting the energy and craziness just before the first model steps out onto the runway. The area features clothing racks, action shots and actual pieces from the show.

The "Poster Room" displays the exhibition's unique advertising campaign (Cassidy Waters)
The "Poster Room" displays the exhibition's unique advertising campaign (Cassidy Waters)
The tour comes to an end in the “Poster Room,” which displays the “Series 2” fashion campaign in a unique floor to ceiling display.  Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Juergen Teller and Bruce Weber, the various pictures illustrate the artists’ converging interpretations of and visions for the spring-summer 2015 line. My prediction: this room will become the new backdrop for filtered Instagrammed photos everywhere. Plus a little added bonus… On the way out patrons are invited to grab a free poster and sticker (or five)

The exhibition is located at 1135 North Highland Avenue and is open to the public, FREE, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Feb. 22, when it will move to its next destination: Beijing.

Contact Staff Reporter Cassidy here or follow her on Twitter here.



 

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