Virgil Abloh nods to early rave culture in Louis Vuitton SS22 show

Virgil Abloh presented his Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection for Louis Vuitton on Thursday at Paris Fashion Week, a cinematic spectacle that touched on themes of rave culture, martial arts and gender.

The collection was presented in a film called ‘Amen Break’ - a reference to a little-known drum riff from a song called ‘Amen, Brother’ by funk-soul group The Winstons that went onto underpin the foundation of hip-hop and jungle genres.

“The film reflects on a historic moment in Black art and culture when electronic music and hip-hop emerged like twins from the same egg, and trickled into every part of the globe,” the brand said in a release.

Chess a key theme in Louis Vuitton SS22 show

The collection featured an array of chequers - a nod to the Damier motif and “the cultural tapestry of Virgil Abloh”. They are interpreted throughout the collection in various textures for three-dimensional or trompe l’oeil effects.

Flyers like those distributed at 1990s raves are woven into transparent monogrammed nylon jackets and patchworked in cotton shirts, while padding reflects the protective uniforms of sports and martial Arts, entering into a variety of pieces panelled with hard geometrical shapes.

Other key looks included landscape bags created in jacquard made from recycled polyester thread and two suits made in collaboration by New York artist Jim Joe - one black suit with beaded embroidery and a full-body knit morph suit with a chequer pattern.