Virgil Abloh’s Pre-Spring Collection for Louis Vuitton Puts Emphasis on Utility, Human Factors

Nicole Phelps

Virgil Abloh’s Pre-Spring Collection for Louis Vuitton Puts Emphasis on Utility, Human Factors

<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
<cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

A dingy corner of the Lower East Side is temporarily glowing neon green with a Louis Vuitton menswear pop-up—it’s open through this Sunday, July 21. Inside are selections from Virgil Abloh’s Fall collection for the company and some special New York–themed merchandise. In his short time at LV, Abloh has demonstrated a canny knack for humanizing this heritage brand.

That talent was on display today at a presentation of Abloh’s Pre-Spring offering for the label. Standing at the entrance was a mannequin dressed in a gray sweater intarsia’d with a group portrait of the menswear studio and atelier. On the sweater’s back, all three dozen or so positions were listed, from “Artistic Director” at number one (that’d be Abloh) on down to “Tailor” at 38.

That’s a big team. Their focus for this pre-season range was on what a public relations rep described as “lifewear,” i.e. day-to-day answers to the more high-concept pieces seen on Abloh’s Louis Vuitton runways. A press release deemed “streetwear,” which Abloh has the market cornered on, a dated concept; this, it stated, “transcends the street.”

In the mix were jackets and baggy cargo pants in logo-accented camouflage, low-key riffs on the “mid-layer garment” made iconic by Timothée Chalamet, hoodies à la the Renaissance master Raphael, and roomy workwear denim. The accent was on utility; some jackets were reversible and others featured substantial pouch pockets up and down the torso.

Another thing that Virgil Abloh is uncommonly good at is accessories. The color-block Epi leather bags and small leather goods, apparently inspired by the Bauhaus movement, will be popular, but what was really clever was the iconic Keepall in translucent plastic embossed with an Epi leather grain and featuring wavy straps, not just because it looked cool, but also because it was surprisingly, satisfyingly light.

Watch Kendall Jenner Get Ready for the 2018 Met Gala (And FaceTime With Virgil Abloh):

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Originally Appeared on Vogue