Louis Vuitton Transforms the Louvre with Alpine-Inspired “Super Nature” Collection

Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière transformed the historic Louvre courtyard into a dramatic mountain landscape Tuesday, bringing Paris Fashion Week to a spectacular close with a collection that reimagined traditional mountain folklore as high fashion.

The “Super Nature” collection featured models navigating a striking artificial mountain range inside the Louvre’s oldest courtyard, the Cour Carrée. The innovative set, designed by “Severance” production designer Jeremy Hindle, created a dreamlike environment that blended sci-fi aesthetics with Alpine scenery.

“I wanted to explore what mountain people from the Alps to Central Asia to the Andes have in common,” Ghesquière explained. The collection highlighted clothing elements shaped by natural forces – weather, altitude, and the nomadic lifestyle required in mountainous regions.

A-list attendees including Zendaya, Ana de Armas, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith, and Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu watched as models traversed the landscape adorned in traditional mountain elements reimagined through Louis Vuitton’s luxury lens.

The collection opened with dramatic silhouettes featuring shaggy capes and exaggerated shoulders that immediately established its mountain-dwelling inspiration. Fur epaulettes enveloped models’ arms, while distinctive cone-shaped headwear reminiscent of folded paper sailor hats completed many looks. Some models carried enormous wicker baskets overhead or brandished branches, enhancing the folkloric narrative.

Intricate embroidery featuring wolves, sheep, and rabbits adorned jackets and skirts, with Ukrainian artist Nazar Strelyaev-Nazarko contributing lamb paintings to the collection. Ghesquière also reinterpreted a Man Ray parure once worn by Catherine Deneuve, embellishing it with nailheads from a Louis Vuitton trunk – connecting historical luxury references to the collection’s contemporary vision.

While the clothing pushed boundaries with conceptual interpretations, the accessories provided grounding elements that connected the artistic vision to Louis Vuitton’s commercial heritage. The iconic Noé bag returned in its original 1932 silhouette, while Mini Malles appeared in new, softer iterations. Heels carved to resemble antlers further emphasized the nature-inspired theme.

The collection balanced avant-garde elements with practical luxury. Tuxedo trousers featured fuzzy side stripes instead of traditional satin, while vibrant rain capes in scarlet and baby blue provided striking contrast against the predominantly earthy palette. Coats lined with hemp-based faux fur demonstrated the brand’s material innovation approach, which Louis Vuitton described as “hyper-craft” – not merely imitating nature but elevating it.

Ghesquière, who has led Louis Vuitton’s womenswear division since 2013, has demonstrated remarkable longevity in an industry known for frequent creative director turnover. His tenure has outlasted more than a dozen creative directors at competing luxury houses, establishing a consistent yet evolving vision for the brand.

Across town later the same day, Miuccia Prada presented a dramatically different approach for Miu Miu. On a runway resembling a forest floor scattered with twigs and moss, Prada offered a collection that stripped fashion back to its essentials.

“You, as a human person, you are enough,” Prada stated. “You have your mind. That should be enough against whatever happens.” Her collection featured minimalist designs that appeared to be the last remaining items in someone’s wardrobe – tiny tank dresses, shrunken washed-leather jackets, and crinkled cotton blazers softened from wear.

The Miu Miu show’s casting reinforced this message of authenticity, featuring diverse talent spanning generations – including Gillian Anderson, Chloë Sevigny, Kristen McMenamy, TXT member Yeonjun, Diana Silvers, and Gemma Ward. This intergenerational approach gave the stripped-back clothing greater emotional weight.

While Paris Fashion Week showcased numerous collections that armored, padded, or buried the body in texture, Prada concluded the season with a contrasting philosophy – that the human body itself is sufficient, and clothing should complement rather than overshadow it.