Louis Vuitton's artistic director Virgil Abloh follows up his historic Louis Vuitton x NBA capsule collection, LVxNBA, with a new pre-fall 2021 collection
For its pre-fall 2021 collection, Louis Vuitton artistic director Virgil Abloh continues the LVxNBA Men's collection. In this second season, the meeting between the fashion house and the professional basketball league explores one's creative memories of the two cultural institutions around the time of 1990's basketball mania.
Abloh fuses the trademarks of Louis Vuitton and the NBA in a transversal celebration of pop culture, fashion and sports. The new collection celebrates the unifying and inclusive moments of the game and its diverse characters while reflecting on the values of familiarity and relatability—which are all key to Abloh's work at Louis Vuitton.
A few selected pieces in the collection were created alongside designer Don Crawley, an expert within the space of merging design and sport. Crawley worked on a blouson, shorts and a Keepall adorned with the iconography of the game, as well as the collection's emblematic basketball and hoop objects.
See also: Behold: The Louis Vuitton x NBA Collaboration, LVxNBA
Pieces in the iconic collection include bags featuring basketball-net detailing and NBA insignia, which debuted in the first collection, and has been expanded into new editions including ball pouches and basketball carries. There's also a new line of leather bags with a grain developed to evoke the texture of a basketball, appears vintaged-inspired complete with natural leather-coloured designs and black editions with patching.
A Keepall is introduced in black embossed Monogram leather with red python inlays while another Monogram Keepall sports python trimming, both are a tribute to the hero jacket. Letter-adorned slides and Monogram derbies nod at the travel wardrobe while Monogram ankle boots pay homage to courtside dress codes and furry mules represent the press conference. Other pieces in the collection include a tribute to the jewellery worn by players in the 1990s such as chain necklaces which are magnified to extra-large dimensions.
Similarly, a ring adorned with the LVxNBA logos mimics the championship rings central to the culture of the game. Additionally, the collection features a number of lifestyle objects including a blanket and a cushion in wool and cashmere Monogram with a hand-stitched letter embellishment.
See also: Ambush x Nike x NBA Collaboration Drops—Dedicated To Female Basketball Fans
