It was family photo time — Louis Vuitton family that is — ahead of Monday’s runway show when Thuso Mbedu, Cynthia Erivo, Ava DuVernay, Jurnee Smollett, Regina King, Lena Waithe and Zendaya gathered together for an epic snap.
Someone shouted “family” as they all cheered, hugged and danced for the camera.
Zendaya, who was stuck in traffic and a bit tardy to last season’s show, started getting dressed at 9:30 in the morning to make sure she was on time for the 2:30 show. “That’s because I don’t want to be rushed,” she said, adding that her hotel was a lot closer to the venue this time.
She was accompanied by her longtime friend and creative director Law Roach. “Law and I have some ideas about what we want to wear. We made eye contact quite a bit. We’re like ‘Oh, that one,’” she said of their unspoken signals. But she remained mum on which ones were her faves.
“I’m worried that if I tell people what I liked they’ll know what I’m going to be wearing on the red carpet,” she said, hoping to keep an element of sartorial surprise.
The actress and singer loved the classic French pop that was played. “I didn’t have my phone but I wanted to Shazam it,” she said. “But I’ll ask them to send me a playlist.”
The show was held inside the bones of the brand’s soon-to-be flagship, still a concrete husk. Vuitton covered the interior of the building in orange plastic. The choice gave an eerie, ambient light to the collection — and a heat level that was off the charts.
“I don’t even know how they were able to do this, but it’s incredible. I love the texture; I hope nobody trips and falls or anything. All the body heat is making it quite warm in here,” she added, as guests proved that once again a hand fan is the must have accessory of the season.
But she gamely walked and did pro turns for the cameras in her slinky cream dress.
As guests including Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Connelly, Lea Seydoux, Alicia Vikander and Jaden Smith piled in to see Nicolas Ghesquière’s latest collection, the star wattage — and the heat — amped up.
NewJeans’ Lee Hyein and Stray Kids’ Lee Felix greeted each other with bows in the front row, while Felix chatted with Congolese Belgian musician Lous and the Yakuza. She recently visited Seoul to walk in the Louis Vuitton pre-fall show there.
It was Felix’s first show as an official Louis Vuitton ambassador. “I’m really excited about this outfit that they’ve prepared, it makes me feel really empowered,” he said of his leather bell-bottomed trouser with a chain zip and white collarless jacket.
Chloë Grace Moretz
Stephane Feugere/WWD
Chloë Grace Moretz is also feeling empowered, by horsepower and a few hundred ccs.
“I’ve got really into motorcycles over the last year, so I’m building a new one right now,” she said. She couldn’t really explain how or why, just that it was something that grabbed her.
“It was one of those things that no one in my family was ever into. I was always told ‘Don’t get on motorcycles.’ And then I grew up and I was like, ‘I want to try it.’ It was against all odds but I’m really into it.”
She’s building the bike, and rides casually for fun, but she may take it up a notch in the future. “I don’t do any track days or anything like that, but it’d be fun to get into. I’d be down to get into that,” she said.
The actress was dressed in a look from the cruise collection that was made out of a wet suit like rubber material. “It does feel like it would be great on a motorcycle. It’s wild, but it’s fun,” she said of her outfit. “I feel like a bit of a badass.”
The look also had bat wings, and other guests pointed out that the all-orange theme was very Halloween-esque.
Moretz said she is a fan of the holiday. Fashion shows aside, it’s a day to express your style. “It’s the one night where everyone can commit to a look, and everyone can really go for it.” She’s just moved from Los Angeles to New York and plans to hold a big Halloween bash.
For Saoirse Ronan, not so much.
“I don’t get it,” she said of the holiday. “I do dress up my dog though. A few years ago I dressed her up as a scary spider. She’s a hound, and she’s not scary at all,” she joked.
The actress was debuting a fresh hairstyle — fresh by just a few hours. She’d chopped off her locks just ahead of the show.
“Like an hour ago,” she said, noting that it was nearly 90 degrees even though it’s the beginning of October. “But it was on purpose. We knew we were going to do it. I knew it would be really hot today, so I wanted to get rid of my hair.”
She worked with stylist Elizabeth Saltzman on her wrap dress look, which she compared to stained glass. They went for a loose and relaxed fit for the day’s show.
Ronan joked that she loves to see fashion shows because she knows how much work go into them and how fast they are over. “I was shocked the first time I went to a fashion show and realized how short it is. It’s over in like 10 minutes, but I think that’s kind of amazing,” she said. “They’re all so exhausted because they put so much work into this, so I can appreciate that.”
Ronan compared cuts with Smollet, who was also sporting a new chop for the show. “I was debating with my hairstylist if we should do the flip or not. But Saoirse says she really likes the flip, so I feel good about the flip decision,” she said.
The actress celebrated her birthday Sunday night with a splashy dinner at the Ritz with godmother LaTanya Richardson Jackson and the Vuitton team.
“They brought out a cake and sang happy birthday to me, so honestly this has been so much fun,” she said of the weekend.
“I’m always excited about Nicolas’ collections — every single time he surprises me. I can never really predict what he’s gonna do.”
Source: WWD