Louis Vuitton’s inflatable jackets and jelly sneakers are fully transparent
Anything with Virgil Abloh’s name attached will sell, despite how strange its design may be. Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection is hard evidence of this, debuting styles like inflatable jackets and jelly sneakers — all designed by Abloh, who’s been the brand’s artistic director of menswear since 2018. The offerings are weird for sure, but we don’t know if we hate their transparency or love their 2000s vibes.
As a country that’s been through a lot in the past year (understatement), people are looking forward to more transparency. Somehow, though, that message was relayed to the fashion world, and they took it literally. Nike’s 2006 Clot x Nike Air Max 1 “Kiss of Death” sneaker, now scheduled for re-release, is best known for its transparent toe box and translucent outsole. Dwyane Wade’s newest Li-Ning sneaker, on the other foot, rips off several of the Swoosh’s designs, and includes a translucent upper. Should we be expecting a future of see-through sneakers?
Make it clear — First off, Abloh is having us accessorize with two different inflatable outerwear pieces, which we can’t imagine provide any warmth. Arriving in blouson and gilet styles crafted from polyvinyl chloride, the apparel can be inflated as desired — no word on whether they come with a separate mouthpiece or blow up mattress-type technology.
Louis Vuitton
LV’s Monogram Canvas Blouson comes covered in the fashion house’s signature monogram print, sporting a lilac-hued translucent design. A matching vest comes dressed in icy blue, while another arrives in LV’s classic brown monogram print with transparent PVC pockets attached.
Despite being made out of plastic, and not Louis Vuitton’s usual long-lasting leather, the statement pieces are still priced at regular luxury prices. The vest retails for $3,400, while the jacket is going for $3,950. If you’re inclined to buy, you can purchase on Louis Vuitton’s website — just make sure to stay away from sharp objects when wearing.
Louis Vuitton
Don’t be jelly — To complement his transparent outerwear, Abloh also created a translucent sneaker, which looks like the streetwear version of a jelly shoe. We’re already grimacing just imagining the sweaty feeling of wearing these — not including the squeaking sound that’ll likely accompany you when walking.
Louis Vuitton
Regardless, the new Louis Vuitton Trainer Sneaker Boot is pretty eye-catching. Its fully transparent upper and tongue sport iridescent hues and are decorated with LV branding, with monogram labels throughout and a “Louis Vuitton” signature on the lateral. The brand’s signature B Blossom motif can also be seen embossed on the midsoles, while a thick Velcro strap provides fastening around the ankle and reads “Advanced Tech System."
Abloh’s futuristic shoes also come in less see-through models, with a blue and purple iteration and white and tan version accompanying the transparent sneaker’s drop. Unfortunately, all the shoes — even the experimental ones — have sold out, but we’re keeping an eye online to see when they restock. At $11,500 HKD to $12,100 HKD (approximately $1,483 USD to $1,560 USD), these shoes might be breaking records for the most expensive jelly shoe ever sold, and that cost doesn’t include international shipping. As the “out of stock” label reminds us, however, anything Abloh makes is a guaranteed money-maker and trendsetter, so it’s only a matter of time before we’re all squeaking around in our jelly sneakers.
ARTAN Talks £1k Track Pants, Inflatable LV Gilet & More On ‘Trend Or Trash’
A new instalment of Trend Or Trash has arrived and sitting down on this one is north London artist ARTAN.
Sitting down in Gucci shades and a bright yellow BAPE hoodie, ARTAN gives his take on some of the latest trends in drip; ranging from a £1.9k Dior jacket to Giuseppe Zanotti trainers.
He’s also presented with a few weird items such as a pair of £1k track pants and an inflatable Louis Vuitton gilet and he lets us know whether they’re trend or trash.
Check it out in the video above and to see ARTAN’s recent visuals for “I Try”, click here.
Louis Vuitton’s Inflatable Vest Sparks DIY Trend in China
GOING VIRAL: A $3,400 inflatable vest by Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton’s spring 2021 men’s collection has been trending on Chinese social media.
It first appeared Jan. 30 in a video uploaded by the Street Styles on Chunxi Road account on China’s short video platform Kuaishou. The transparent version of the inflatable vest, first shown on the runway in Shanghai last August, was worn by a person who appear to be a VIP of the brand outside Vuitton’s men’s wear pop up in Chengdu.
He was also carrying a $12,800 special edition of the Keepall Bandoulière 50 from the same collection, adorned with six puppet LV friends from Virgil Abloh’s “Zoom With Friends” animated film.
The video quickly garnered more than 1 million views with 8,000-plus likes and 891 comments.
Due to the high awareness of the fashion show in China, and the fact that the vest is basically inflatable PVC etched with Vuitton’s famous monogram, it has spawned hundreds of DIY videos across various social media platforms with users donning vest made with bags of chips, or air-cushion packaging materials with hand drawn monograms.
On popular social commerce platform Xiaohongshu, one user even posted a picture on her dog wearing the vest, while several others documented their shopping experience.
One user commented that “As someone who make 1500 renminbi (about $230) a month, this vest makes me question the purpose of life.”
Another said: “Will this even keep you warm? But it definitely looks cool.”
Vuitton calls the vest, which comes in two colorways, “statement piece” that offers “a futuristic take on the monogram.”
It’s understood that this style has been mostly sold out in China, and local celebrities are fighting to get a hold of one for their airport style snaps. The good news is that the style is still available online in countries like the U.S. and the U.K.
Related:
Louis Vuitton Men’s Goes Seasonless in Shanghai
Louis Vuitton Taps Mulan’s Liu Yifei as Brand Ambassador
Louis Vuitton Uncovers a Mole and ‘High-tech’ Counterfeits in China