Ghanaian-American Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton menswear collection, Virgil Abloh is appreciating his heritage in the F/W21 collection.
Debuted at the Paris Fashion Week, “E B O N I C S” took place at the Tennis Club de Paris against a modernist set and broadcasted on social media as the world continues to lockdown amidst the pandemic.
Abloh who was born to Ghanaian immigrant parents in the U.S employs fashion as a tool to change predetermined perceptions of dress codes.
“usually i have run-on-sentences for days but today i don’t. my whole being has been poured out into this film here,” Abloh said about the film that accompanied the collection on Instagram. “it’s not just fashion or films we make, it’s space for new stories and artworks to be placed”
The collection was a performance expressed in poetry, dance and music that saw two looks in the #LVMenFW21 (opens in a new tab) pay glowing homage to his Ghanaian roots as models walked the runway draped in the traditionally woven Kente fabric.
Abloh who has been under attack for what critics describe as ‘appropriation’ used the question address issues around the topic as well as race and representation in the fashion industry.
The show also saw the return of Ghanaian model, Ottawa Kwami who made history two years ago as the first Ghanaian to walk for the French Maison and a personal friend of the designer.
Watch the full show below
a film by Virgil Abloh and ‘Moved by the Motion’
Starring @yasiinbey (opens in a new tab), @saulwilliams (opens in a new tab), @malikee (opens in a new tab) and @kai_isaiah_jamal (opens in a new tab)
film directed by @wu_tsang (opens in a new tab)
show creative director and performance choreography by @sadfornoreason (opens in a new tab)
movement direction by @boychild (opens in a new tab)
dramaturgy and scenography by @kandis_williams (opens in a new tab)
‘Moved by the Motion’ managed by Nadja Rangel at Outofocus Management
story adapted by Sophia Al Maria
original film score by @_asmara (opens in a new tab) Music direction and production by @_asmara (opens in a new tab) and @benjib (opens in a new tab)
LV men’s music and sound direction by @benjib (opens in a new tab)
Harp Ahya Simone
Saxophone & Flute Tapiwa Svosve
Cello & Piano Patrick Belaga
Drums Mathieu Edward
styling by @ibkamara (opens in a new tab)
casting by @samuel_ellis (opens in a new tab)@pg_dmcasting (opens in a new tab)
art direction and research leads @mahfuzsultan (opens in a new tab) and @chloe.actually (opens in a new tab)
set design & story adaptation by @playlabinc (opens in a new tab)
graphic design by @studiotemp (opens in a new tab)
visual direction by @linakutsovskaya (opens in a new tab) and @beg00dstudios (opens in a new tab)
