Louis Vuitton has raided Saks Fifth Avenue windows, making it their first take over on such a large scale in America. To coincide with the New York Fashion Week, this Friday onward, Louis Vuitton will take over 16 of Saks’s display windows on Fifth Avenue to showcase Nicolas Ghesquière’s inaugural collection for the Paris-based brand. The LV invasion will extend to 49th and 50th Streets. In addition to the facade, the French luxury house will also use three additional windows on 50th Street to display Frank Gehry sculptures.
Paying tribute to Mr. Ghesquière’s show, the Fifth Avenue window displays are designed to make a strong first impression for the new star designer. Behind each window will be 10-foot-tall aluminum shutters, like the ones from the set design of the March show at the Cour Carrée at the Louvre. This will be complemented with a look from the collection, adorned with accessories and a handbag. New York Times reports that behind the shutters, there will be a digital projection of a model (Marte Mei van Haaster) walking in and out of the frame from window to window across Fifth Avenue. The shutters will open and close on a synchronized schedule but stay static from 2 to 5 a.m.
Mesmerizing the shoppers and onlookers with the studding encompassing window display, Louis Vuitton will also welcome them to its usual location on the first, third and eighth floors of Saks Fifth Avenue.
When asked “why does the Paris-based house want to have a big display in New York during Fashion Week?,” Michael Burke, Louis Vuitton’s chief executive, replied, “Everybody’s in New York. The world will be in New York that week. You want to put your best foot forward.”
Also in New York, Louis Vuitton opened a new pop-up store at Dover Street Market, pictured below. Expect to find “an edit of directional pieces” along with runway accessories like leather goods and shoes in a dedicated temporary boutique, according to WWD.
