Ellie Grace Cumming, assistant to show stylist Alister Mackie, talks LEDs and scuba-inspired cashmere...
The show was really fresh. The collection was quite sporty and Kim Jones looked again at the journey of a man. This season it was a look at sailing/yachting/sport/scuba diving but with a very luxury and elegant view. There were some incredible cashmere scuba diving inspired Louis Vuitton suits and some incredible outerwear pieces, as well as really beautiful patchwork denim and eveningwear looks.
The show was at 2.30pm, the call time for us was 10.30am at the venue, Halle Freyssinet, 55 Boulevard Vincent Auriol. It's an old train station that is quite a popular venue for fashion shows in Paris due to its vast space. It was the first time for Louis Vuitton menswear to show here – they had created a blacked out room in order for the full effects of the LED catwalk and video to be seen.
When Alister and I arrived we went straight to the backstage area to check all the collection had been delivered and was set up correctly, with all the model boards. The models get checked off as they arrive so we saw casting director Shelly Durkan and spoke to her. We then went to have a look at the set, and had a run through of the LED display with the music, whilst the models continued to arrive and went into hair and make up. After that we went back to the backstage area, looked at the running order board, made one slight change – look 8 and 9 swapped in the order – and decided who would go out for the finale, discussing with the show producer who co-ordinates everything.
We did a dress rehersal to check everything was correct timing-wise at around 1pm. This is always a really great moment, watching all the models walk on the set, down the runway with the video playing, the music and seeing them all together. It gets quite exciting as you really feel the show is close!
After that the boys went back to hair and make up – Alister, Kim and Guido decided to change the hair. There were 30 minutes before the show would start so we began dressing. Once everyone is in their look they have a final check by Alister and Kim then they go to the line up and wait for the show to begin.
The soundtrack, as always was really good! It opened with a remix of David Lynch's Twin Peaks and then went into a 90s rave mood. It had been done in co-ordination with the film that played on the special LED catwalk and screen. It was quite spectacular with Louis Vuitton monogram jellyfish and beautiful butterflies for the finale.
I really loved so many of the looks, the technical fabrics and accessories, it's very hard to choose a favourite. The opening look on Rutger I thought was very chic, as the wide leg trouser, blazer with neck scarf and brooch on the pocket all looked so great, finished with the ultimate deck shoe and a great Damier check bag. It really brought together so many of the elements of the collection!
I also really loved the jumper look that Robin wore, look 09. I thought the illustration of the knitwear really special. Andrew wore the denim shorts and shirt look which was super, and Anders, look 40 wore a beautiful white kimono shirt and jacket in incredible fabric.
Text and behind-the-scenes photgraphy Ellie Grace Cumming
