Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition

#LVSeries3 exhibition, devised by award winning set designer Es Devlin opened on the Strand earlier this week. The exhibition is a ‘modern and unexpected reinterpretation of a fashion show’, allowing Nicolas Ghesquière – Louis Vuitton’s creative director, to retell the “creative process and influence” of his A/W 15 collection in an experiential way.

“ The [catwalk] show is so short, and no matter how many people we allow in, no more than 1,000 people are going to see it. Even with livestream, there’s no way for enough people to be able to experience it the way we want them to, and that’s where the exhibition comes in.” Michael Burke, LV CEO

The exhibition is comprised of 13 rooms and has a distinct digital element to it; with one circular room using huge curved screens switching content between models walking around the room, LV monochrome pattern, and faces speaking about the collection. In another room an artisan from Vuitton demonstrates the assembly of a miniature trunk in person, allowing visitors to appreciate the product craftsmanship that can be lost in a catwalk show, which lasts roughly 12mins in total.

My most impactful room was definitely the blindingly white room (you’ll definitely squint walking in), highlighting how handbags and shoes are a major component of a fashion look. The room consists of white mannequins embedded into to white walls and plinths, with the only colour being introduced by the finished accessories on show.

The exhibition series is clearly trying to modernise the Louis Vuitton brand to compete with the likes of digital savvy Burberry. Its only downfall was the lack of interactive content, which left each impressive room feeling slightly museum-esque.

Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition is free and runs until 18 October; taking up three floors of 180 Strand, a Brutalist office building in central London.