Surf and the City
Review of Louis Vuitton Spring 2027 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
Last season Louis Vuitton Men’s Creative Director Pharrell Williams was inspired to put down roots, by imagining, and then actualising a set that was a fully functioning home, surrounded by landscaped gardens and all the Louis Vuitton branded homeware you never knew you needed.
Fast forward to spring 2027 and it was the call of the waves, and their physical (and meta-physical) connection to movement, nature, and the cycle of life, that guided Williams to venture out onto the road. Reflecting the freedom of the eternal surfer (and skater) dude whose nomadic life is lived in pursuit of the perfect wave.
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Pharrell’s Water World, Ebb and Flow, Rhythm of Life
Today’s Louis Vuitton set was a monumental feat, as the form of a giant wave provided an organic tunnel-like structure from which the model’s emerged.
In a city suffering from an ongoing heatwave the awe-inspiring sight (and subsequent spray) of gallons of water must have come as a sight for sore eyes. And, like many designers so far this season, there was a deeper meaning behind the act of simply creating a spectacle. Water, as a living entity, has become a hot topic of late. As we grapple with droughts in the Global South caused by climate change, data centres using up to 5 million gallons per day, and the threat of the loss of several Pacific Islands by 2050, Williams bringing our attention to the transformative power of water, and specifically the wave, is no coincidence. It was also not a fleeting gimmick to attempt to outdo his pre-fabricated home from fall 2026. According to the shows notes, LVMH’s Regeneration 2030 sustainability roadmap will see the conglomerate commit to strengthening its environmental commitments and support the restoration of coral reef in French Polynesia. Another example of how the strive for purposeful design continues to lead this season.
The symbolism throughout the collection was shaped by the ebbs and flows of the ocean and the way in which it aligns with the nomadic lifestyle that seeks balance between man and nature. Bringing together the ‘sartorial values of the surfer’ and Williams’ forever muse of the House – the dandy – there was a mission to express an ‘unconventional elegance,’ according to the notes. At once put together and at ease, always comfortable in his own skin. The archetypes of the surfers wardrobe could be found in the cagoule, chubby hoodie, denim shorts, and skater shoes merged with true technical additions in the form of the wetsuit and ‘performance-infused tailoring fabrics.’
The open-book life of the surfer could also be found in the symbolism of a glass camper van, a mode of transport synonymous with surf culture for its ability to facilitate impromptu journeys to chase the perfect wave, that was parked by the sets sand dunes. The glass structure, where sun could perpetually penetrate, broke down the barrier between the surfer and the great outdoors and connected with the sun-bleached pastels and timeworn fabrics, which upon closer inspection will prove to be painstakingly crafted with detail, that will speak to the man seeking a sense of balance that follows the rhythmic pattern of the sea.
THE WRAP UP
Much like the rhythmic lapping of the waves on the shore, the Creative Director is finding his rhythm at the House. Led by the sensibilities of a modern manifestation of the dandy, each outing sees a layering on of a seasonal theme that has often played a significant role in shaping popular culture, world history, or Williams’ formative years. This is why each collection feels at once personal, but also universal. Spring 2027 will be the escapism needed for the “the globetrotting dandy suspended between the city and the surf”.
