Louis Vuitton - Spring/Summer 2011

In response to the wave of bourgeois classicism that submerged last February's fashion weeks (and in which he himself participated), this season Marc Jacobs is offering a Louis Vuitton collection whose folklore, funk and iridescent colors have nothing to do with the fall/winter 2010-2011 New Look silhouettes.

He has gone from being the complex-ridden creator to the Apollo of the fashion world, from being massacred by the critics for the late start of his shows to raising the curtain early. Marc Jacobs likes nothing more than to surprise his audience, so it is not surprising that he has chosen this season to push current trends to the limit by taking his inspiration from the Middle Empire.

Moved by the desire to respond to the current minimalist religious movement by starting a new religion of excess, Jacobs pushed all the needles on the controls to his show into the red. Between the ultra kitsch décor based on fake marble, gold curtains and stuffed tigers, the fast pace and the decadent looks (whose extremity proved to be rather audacious), everything was done to give a shot of immediate pleasure to those attending.

Certain headlining labels might be verging on boredom by giving themselves over body and soul to minimalism, but at Louis Vuitton, one gives in to excess. The ensembles honoring Chinese traditions were followed by dresses full of the upbeat 20s energy (including mini fringes à la Josephine Baker), then by sexy outfits for Chinese girls looking to seduce a passing occidental.

With these three major themes were mixed references to art deco and a strong sense of humor. The Vuitton wardrobe saw itself taken over by color blocks bordered in black or by exotic menageries. The giraffes, tigers and zebras, far from contenting themselves with loaning their stripes to a few animal prints, literally took over the looks of the finale.

This being said, if excessiveness, overload and vitality rendered this Louis Vuitton show captivating, the real success of the collection once the magic of the show has dissipated is doubtful.

But in the end, this is of little importance - rather than trying to launch a new trend, Jacobs seemed to want to create a happening capable of impressing, thus making it possible for the French house of Vuitton to sell yet more bags...

Click here to view the entire collection: http://www.style.com/S2011RTW-LVUITTON