Arguably the most-awaited event on the Singapore social calendar since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic last year

Even the rain couldn’t put a dampener on what’s been arguably the most awaited event on the Singapore social calendar since the beginning of the pandemic last year. On Tuesday (March 23), Louis Vuitton held its first Southeast Asian spin-off fashion show at the ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands, to showcase its spring-summer 2021 collection, presented by Nicolas Ghesquière in October 2020 in Paris. It's no surprise that Louis Vuitton chose Singapore as the venue for its first physical-digital show since the pandemic, given the city-state's relatively low case count.

While we've grown accustomed to all manners of digital presentations—most thankfully more creative than a simple Zoom screen-share—luxury brands have truly started pushing the envelope with inventive experiences that simulate the real show experience as close as possible. Still, we were all excited as nothing beats a real-life presentation. So what actually went down at the show? Tatler was there to cover it all. 

(Related: BTS Wears Custom Louis Vuitton Suits to the Grammy Awards 2021)

 

Tatler Asia
Above Zoe Tay
Tatler Asia
Above Stefanie Sun
Tatler Asia
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Above Mae Tan

In true Louis Vuitton style, we were chauffeured from our homes to the Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands, where a fleet of LV-branded buggies was waiting to usher us to the ArtScience Museum. It's a good five-minutes walk within the mall, and my heels-clad feet were thankful for the thoughtful gesture. 

The ArtScience Museum itself felt like the inside of Kermit the Frog, but for good reason: those viewing the show at home were in for an additional treat: extracts from Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire were projected onto the green space to display scenes from the romantic fantasy film. IRL, the atrium was abuzz with influencers, celebrities and Louis Vuitton's top clients, all clad in monogram, and complete with stylish, knitted Louis Vuitton masks that the brand kindly sent all show-goers pre-show.  

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

The show itself was held in basement two, where the brand transformed the open-air oculus into a green room cum runway. While certainly inconvenient for the Louis Vuitton team, the rain oddly proved to be quite an ambience-setter, as if it had constructed a mini waterfall in the centre of the runway. Given the regulations, all 144 guests were suitably distant from one another, but we have to admit that this one-metre separation also impacted the energy and mood in the room. Muted murmurs were heard at the start of the show, but the palpable energy that one experiences at a 'traditional' runway show where guests are packed together and meeting old friends and new, was distinctly missing. 

Still, the excitement levels shot up as Singaporean model Kaigin Yong strutted out, clad in a belted pair of baggy pleated chino pants, paired with an oversized black shirt and a striking Chroma Key bag in apple green. The first outfit was emblematic of Ghesquière's inspiration this season, where he sought to explore non-binary silhouettes and the freedom of genderless dressing. Presenting a total of 69 looks, the show then morphed into the capsule summer 2021 collection, where eclectic pops of colour and laidback silhouettes took centre stage.

(Related: Covid-19: First Look at the Louis Vuitton Face Shield that Everyone's Talking About)

Scroll through the gallery below to see our highlights.

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