Louis Vuitton serves up in-flight fierceness at New York's JFK Airport

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
May 9, 2019

Something dark and powerful touched down on Wednesday at the defunct TWA Flight Center at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, offloading the latest cruise collection from Louis Vuitton.

The curved, white TWA Flight Center building was created by architect Eero Saarinen in 1962, with the intention of mimicking a massive bird at the height of the Jet Age, the French fashion house said. Inside, below the the structure’s looping arcs, a jungle of green plants and a smattering of flowers conjured a sense of wanderlust as the spirit of trans-Atlantic crossings came to life in Louis Vuitton’s latest collection of womenswear.

After the blustering sounds of an airplane’s engines at takeoff, the show's speakers blasted “Liberi Fatali” by Nobuo Uematsu (music originally scored for the video game 'Final Fantasy VIII') as models stomped down the runway. With strong eyeliner and blush, and hairstyles ranging from soft waves to Bladerunner-esque victory rolls, the fierce, feminine looks complimented the clothes: silky jewel-toned jackets embossed with the New York skyline; an all-black patent leather number fit for a dominatrix; and geometric, wing-like capes, as well as embellishments of sequins, bold stripes and more.

Topping off the looks were a selection of bold accessories: gold-toed combat boots, sharp sunglasses and jet-black aviator caps; the full effect creating a formidable momentum that carried throughout the show. The label also unveiled a new bag series, some shaped like the steel roof of the Chrysler building, others equipped with flexible screens, which the house described as a basis for its "digital Canvas of the Future" and connected accessories.

As models powered by, the collection appeared to be well-received by attendees like Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Willow Smith, Carine Roitfeld and Emma Stone. 

Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière selected the terminal for the show as the space prepares to re-open as the TWA Hotel later this month, thanks to the efforts of hotelier Tyler Morse.

“I was lucky enough to have landed at the TWA Flight Center in the late Nineties,” said Ghesquière in a press statement. “It was something I could never forget. This place was forgotten for 20 years, and now has come back to life...It’s about rediscovering of an uncommon place that yet is a part of American heritage.”

In April, parent company LVMH said revenues rose 16 percent to 12.5 billion euros, thanks in part to success in the Chinese luxury market. The Louis Vuitton brand continued to experience strong sales growth in the first quarter, the group said.

At the time, LMVH said it plans to continue boosting business by attracting new customers outside its regular stores, announcing plans to open around 100 pop-up stores in 2019.