The Louis Vuitton Men FW21 show in Seoul marks BTS' first official appearance as house ambassadors
Louis Vuitton presented a Fall/Winter 2021 spin-off collection by men's artistic director Virgil Abloh in Seoul starring house ambassadors and pop icons, BTS. The group's participation marks their first official appearance as brand ambassadors as they grace the "stage" at Buncheon Art Bunker B39, an art and culture space. They were previously invited to the Fall/Winter 2021 show earlier this year and wore all Louis Vuitton suits at the Grammys red carpet.
The event features a dedicated moving-image performance by the septet—RM, Suga, Jin, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook—each decked in FW21 pieces. Directed by Korean director Jeon Go-woon, the film stages a conversation between space, movement and the global connectivity central to our moment in time by making use of the venue's various floors. It also explores the city of Seoul through the lens of diversity. As we move from member to member, they gaze at each other as if they're conversing and showcase their explosive visuals.
Expanding on the original idea proposed in the Fall/Winter 2021 collection, the 41-look spin-off also included 34 new looks. BTS wore seven looks individually and another seven in a group shot—all of which were originally presented in the performance art film back in January 2021. Shot in slow motion, each member flaunted the pieces as they gracefully move around the industrial venue—echoing the film's central theme of space, movement and global connectivity. The soundtrack featured an original score written and produced by Cifika, Kim Kate and Net Gala.
See also: BTS Announced As Louis Vuitton's New Global Brand Ambassadors
High expectations. #LouisVuitton ambassadors @bts_bighit invite you to see @VirgilAbloh’s #LVMenFW21 collection from Seoul. Watch the show live at 7 pm (GMT +9) on Wednesday, July 7th on Twitter or https://t.co/2i3c2rq839 https://t.co/85K20uEd95
— Louis Vuitton (@LouisVuitton) July 5, 2021
The spin-off show echoes "The Voyage" format that Virgil Abloh initiated in 2020 where collections and shows travel to the destinations of Louis Vuitton's global community, meeting clients in their own parts of the world. It's perfect that brand ambassadors, BTS are global superstars who took the music industry by storm and now are fast becoming fashion icons in their own right. The 10-minute film also started with a voice-over in Korean about a pilot who came to a "totally foreign place" following bad weather, reflecting the sense of travel that Abloh envisioned.
But the film also goes beyond, inviting viewers to experience a runway show instead. Abloh seems to keep his word that working with BTS is more than just them wearing his designs but rather a partnership, with one artist to another. Each member's style and charm take their own well-deserved spotlight with BTS themselves showing that they already have an affinity for both acting and modelling.
At this point, it's as if there's nothing that they can do. This collaboration between the fashion house and the pop icons is just the first of many and if it says anything—the future ones will be just as legendary.
See all the looks below: