<p>Louis Vuitton launched its 2026 early spring collection in Avignon, a small town in southern France, at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palais des Papes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The nearly 700-year-old Gothic building, Palais Des Papes became the starting point of inspiration for the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 season's collection. Nicolas Ghesqui&egrave;re, the brand's women's creative director, incorporated architectural vocabulary into design, transforming the structural aesthetics of medieval architecture into modern fashion language to showcase a fashion interpretation that transcends time from tailoring, lines, to materials.</p>
<p>The collection presents a strong sense of structure, using structured fabrics and streamlined shapes to echo the stability and layers of the building. The colours are mainly metallic tones such as gold and silver, or as partial embellishments, echoing the classical atmosphere of the architecture. There is no shortage of knight-inspired clothing in the looks, including metal details, totems, tassels and embroidery, which cleverly transforms the medieval style into modern fashion language.</p>

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<div class="PZPZlf ssJ7i B5dxMb" aria-level="2" data-attrid="title" role="heading">Palais des Papes<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">, built in 1335, is the largest Gothic palace in Europe and was also the palace of the pope during his stay in Avignon in the 14th century. The palace has high vaults, stone carvings and murals, and fully preserves the artistic style of the time. This year marks the 30th anniversary of its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which coincides with the Louis Vuitton press conference, lending this grand event even greater historical significance.</span></div>
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<p>To highlight the unique atmosphere of this historic building, LVMH worked with the local government to create a nighttime lighting project to illuminate Palais Des Papes and surrounding monuments, creating a solemn yet modern fashion stage. This is also the first time that the palace has been used as a fashion show venue, allowing history and fashion to have a meaningful dialogue.</p>

<p>The collection includes a variety of richly designed garments, including knight-style capes, hats and boots, as well as dresses and suits with medieval elements. Details such as leather, shiny embroidery, metal buckles, 3D gold-plated decorations and wooden elements show the diversity of materials and exquisite craftsmanship. At the same time, there are soft elements such as satin, cake skirts and ruffles, which balance the rigid and soft contrast of the collection and create a gorgeous and layered atmosphere.</p>

<p>Accessories are also a highlight of this series, including open-toe boots decorated with mirrors and diamond details, knight boots embellished with metal elements, and reinterpreted classic handbags. Among them, the wooden frame handbag is inspired by the handicrafts in the castle, showing the brand's innovative exploration of materials and textures, adding uniqueness and consistency to the overall shape.</p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Louis Vuitton Cruise Collection Looks</strong></p>

<p>The show was attended by a star-studded group of guests, including Stray Kids member Felix, Korean actress Jung Ho-yeon, Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone, brand menswear creative director Pharrell Williams and his wife Helen Lasichanh, Jaden Smith and Chinese actress Liu Yifei, adding more topics and attention to this fashion event.</p>

Louis Vuitton unveils its 2026 Cruise Collection: a dialogue between history and fashion

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