Modern Vintage
Louis Vuitton's Fall/Winter 2025 show last week was significant for two key reasons.
First, and perhaps most obviously, it marked a milestone achievement for Pharrell Williams and Nigo, two titans of the streetwear world. Their influence, shaped through groundbreaking work at Bape, Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream, and Human Made, has undeniably transformed modern menswear. This show was more than just a collaboration, it was a validation of their enduring creative impact, a moment where streetwear’s pioneers took the reins at the world’s biggest luxury house. It also echoed Pharrell’s 2020 statement that the new face of luxury would be "a grand convergence between fashion and pop culture."
However, the most significant, and perhaps overlooked, aspect of the show was not the collection itself but rather the set design. The centerpiece was a spherical arrangement of archival vitrines, encircling the Cour Carrée du Louvre. These 24 display cases featured items from the archives of Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams, and Nigo, each piece meticulously curated to represent a broader cultural shift in the way we perceive luxury fashion. While undeniably rare and exclusive, these items also signal a fundamental change in how we interact with legacy brands.
The showcased items are part of a collaborative auction between Joopiter, Pharrell’s auction house, and Nigo. Yet, their prominent placement at an LV show feels like an intentional declaration: they did it first. Their style and collections are no longer niche but rather the mainstream. What was once considered underground or countercultural has become the new definition of high fashion. This is not a new phenomenon, there has always been a sense of validation when personal style becomes aspirational to others.
However, what makes this moment unique is the compressed timeline of cultural nostalgia. The oldest items in this collection, aside from a few vintage sweaters, date back to the early 2000s. Pieces that were available less than 20 years ago are now museum-worthy artifacts, commanding enormous reserve prices.
This acceleration of cultural significance mirrors the breakneck pace of fashion itself. Trends come and go faster than ever, but so does our perception of what is "vintage" or historically important. A decade in fashion today feels longer than it did in previous generations, not necessarily because of time itself, but because of the sheer volume of products, shows, trends, and redefinitions of luxury that have passed in that span.
The Louis Vuitton FW25 collection, framed by this archival showcase, offers a unique opportunity to reflect on how we define value and history in fashion. It prompts us to question: What does luxury truly mean in a world where yesterday’s streetwear is today’s high fashion? How do we reconcile rapid trend cycles with lasting cultural impact? And, most importantly, what does this say about the future of fashion itself?
