Louis Vuitton FW22: 5 high points of Virgil Abloh tribute show

It was a historical moment when Virgil Abloh was chosen as the first black artistic director of Louis Vuitton Menswear in 2018. There are no bigger shoes one needs to fill than the designer's term at Louis Vuitton, who took the label to unforetold heights.

The late trailblazing visionary left a deep impact on the fashion world and the luxury company itself. The shock of his sudden passing still resonates through the walls of the luxury house as well as the entire fashion industry.

To honor the designer's indelible impact, Louis Vuitton has set up a show to celebrate the entirety of Abloh's creative energy and eight seasons of work. The Fall/Winter 2022 collection is Abloh's last potrayal of his work and a final good-bye.

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Five high points of Virgil Abloh's tribute show

1) The "Louis Dreamhouse"

The show began with a bang for its dreamy location, "Louis Dreamhouse," which was styled with Instagram italics. The show was true to Virgil Abloh's style with backup dancers mingling with the models. The show also had an orchestra where the ensemble performed a soundtrack by Tyler, the Creator.

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2) The Fall/Winter 2022 collection was originally designed by Virgil Abloh

The LV Fall/Winter 2022 collection was designed by the legend himself, Virgil Abloh, before his demise on 28 November 2021. He was behind the whole collection, from coming up with the show's production and the soundtracks. He had traveled to Paris to see the prototypes while checking on the progress of the show simultaneously. The show at the Carreau du Temple market was designed entirely by Virgil Abloh, even down to minor details such as invitations and t-shirts for staff.

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3) "Imagination" is the fuel of the show

The show was a tribute to Virgil and while he wasn't physically present, his ideas were definitely alive and well since the event was based entirely on Abloh's ideas ranging from bags, shoes, garments to jewelry. Virgil was a true dreamer and left his designs up to his wild imagination. His eighth-collection arc was just as surreal and childlike. The collection was about imagination, an amalgamation of having and encouraging someone to be great and do remarkable things. The notes for the show said:

“One of Virgil Abloh’s most used terms, imagination is what fuels this dream.”

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4) The artistic side of Abloh: Trojan Horse for the Mind

Virgil's work wasn't just about fashion, but a manifestation of his "boyhood" approach to clothing. He created illusions in the motifs and materials, constructions that seemed to be optically unbelievable. He attempted to change the spectators' way of seeing his work, driving them into deep emotional states with his imagery. This powerful technique, often used by Virgil, was aptly called a "Trojan Horse for the Mind". He took inspiration from the paintings of Gustave Courbet and Giorgio de Chirico's 'The Painter's Studio' and 'Souvenir d'Italie' respectively and used various symbolisms from them to turn societal dress code on its head.

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5) A heavenly theme: A surreal experience

Virgil imbued his personal thoughts of battling cancer into the show. Before finally succumbing to cardiac angiosarcoma, he made sure to infuse the collection with strong elements of heaven and godly presence. His show included graphics of spiritual forces and supernatural beings, various imageries of time, magic, and creation.

The show had beautiful clouds, sky-blue bags, animals, wizards, cherubs, and creative animations of the Grim Reaper. For the grand finale, two models arrived as archangels with wings on their backs.