Louis Vuitton's SS22 Menswear Collection Is Part Rave, Part Business

Virgil Abloh once again reimagines Louis Vuitton and its identity, presenting an eclectic Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection alongside an eerily dystopian film titled Amen Break.

Directed by Mahfuz Sultan, the 11-minute visual is "a story about a father and son united by an unnamed loss, crossing a dream world to deliver a message to the other side," as described by Louis Vuitton. The camera follows these two figures as they traipse an empty, baron desert until they reach a portal. Stepping through into another world, they reappear in a cold, desolate forest, devoid of color and life. It is against this neutral backdrop that we get a first look at the collection, its striking color story popping against the white of the forest.

Featuring everything from tailored formalwear to casual tracksuits, the collection is a seamless fusion of a businessman and a rave-goer, applying vibrant neon colors to the house's iconic monogram and Damier check motif. A range of silhouettes contrast exaggerated outlines with slim structures, seeing oversized padded blazers followed by sleek trench-coats. Stand-out pieces include a patchwork jacket printed with graphics imitating '90s rave flyers, a jigsaw imprint suit and a violet tracksuit enveloped in monogram-printed mesh. Accessory and footwear offerings feature a selection of bags dressed in bold patterns, as well as embellished belts, extravagant headwear, and the hotly-anticipated Nike Air Force 1 collaboration. As for jewelry, models are outfitted in beaded necklaces, accompanied by floral earrings, blade pendants and oversized crystal rings.

The film transitions to a spoken word piece from Kai-Isaiah Jamal, Louis Vuitton's first Black transgender model, and then proceeds to capture the collection's entire cast of models in a wooden room, where GZA of Wutang Clan plays chess while lip-syncing to his song "4th Chamber." Rounding off the film is a final scene starring British DJ and musician Goldie, dressed in a Damier check tracksuit.

Check out the Louis Vuitton SS22 looks in the gallery above, and watch the film, Amen Break, below.

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