Louis Vuitton Debuts Voyager Pre-Fall Show in Shanghai

Under the warm glow of a glorious sunset and the imposing concrete arches of Shanghai’s Long Museum, Chinese fashion glitterati were joined by global and local stars for Louis Vuitton’s debut Pre-Fall Voyager show.

This was a major runway show in China, like the four the brand has organized here since 2020, but also the global debut of a collection (Pre-Fall 2024) on the mainland. With Cate Blanchett, Hoyeon Jung, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Chloë Grace Moretz, Amber Liu, Jackson Wang, Ouyang Nana, Zhou Dongyu and Du Juan in the front row, a statement was made.

With Dior canceling its big show in Hong Kong, originally scheduled for March (but going ahead with the New York catwalk in April), Louis Vuitton’s China showcase is a telling story.

In a strategic nod to the importance of this market, Shanghai was chosen as the premiere location for the ‘Voyager’ shows. The brand shows that all destination shows (men’s, women’s, Pre-Fall and Cruise shows) should all be unified and branded under the unique “Voyager” series, paying tribute to the roots and core spirit of travel of the French House.

Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière marks a ten-year tenure at the brand. The collection fluctuated from colorful, pop, contemporary accents punctuated by bright prints to more structured, hard elegance in muted tones. Those broad shoulders and boxy tops have become striking, favorite silhouettes at Louis Vuitton and are welcome manifestations in a collection that’s all about the juxtaposition of freedom and form.

There’s the wow factor and the post-climatic glow of a star-studded show, but it’s always a challenge to make that moment last longer.

Louis Vuitton’s post-show livestream on the brand’s official Xiaohongshu channel was watched by more than 470,000 fans as of today, hosted by Linda Li, with performances by stylist Lucia Liu, celebrity Amber Liu and KOL Yuyu Zhangzou.

The impact on social media was impressive, with the hashtag #LVbigshow racking up 970 million views and 3.23 million engagements, while #LVprefallwomenshow generated 150 million views and 6.26 million engagements on Weibo. The event even temporarily reached the second highest spot on Weibo’s ‘Hot List’.

The brand also created a buzz in the city with its light-hearted, pop culture-inspired collaboration with ’90s female Chinese artist Sun Yitan. Posters were plastered on street sides, while yellow plastic ducks, zebras and leopards dotted billboards, marking the hippest neighborhoods of Shanghai and even took over the K11 skyscraper building.

“An exuberance of color and gaiety honors the tremendous stylistic vitality of China’s youth,” the show says in reference to Sun’s plastic toy prints adorning see-now, buy-now accessories and printed on satin jackets and dresses from Pre- Fall 2024.

While her artwork provided a “charming, figurative bestiary,” bringing youthful energy to the affair, the artist herself wanted this to go beyond a new collaboration in fashion and art products. Her exploration of mass production and what it means to be ‘Made in China’ is especially relevant in today’s China.

“I don’t want people to just think of this as a collaboration bag or a limited edition perfume with a bunny or a duck on it,” says Yitan. “I want them to dig deeper and understand the cultural meaning and creative concepts woven into this product collaboration.”

To turn a fashion moment into something with long-lasting impact and strong sales, Louis Vuitton executed a smart strategy around its accessories collection. Enabling Chinese VIP customers to spontaneously score their favorite pieces before the line drops in stores worldwide on May 17, transforming a PR and marketing moment into an emotional and exclusive shopping experience.

As luxury brands refocus on their VICs in uncertain economic times, it’s no wonder this collection’s re-see schedule will land in seven Chinese cities including Beijing, Chengdu and Qingdao – along with the ability to purchase selected items on the spot to buy.