Louis Vuitton held its first physical fashion show in Singapore in March by bringing Nicolas Ghesquière’s Spring – Summer 2023 Collection. To exhibit Louis Vuitton’s legacy of innovation, the collection was presented at the ArtScience Museum, a venue celebrating the intersection of both art and science with the addition of Singapore’s iconic skyline as the backdrop for the show. As fashion tries to make its comeback during the pandemic, the Louis Vuitton replicas market also makes its move by putting replicas from the latest collection on the market.
Social Distancing Protocols
Although fashion weeks in London, Paris, and Milan have completely gone digital to the COVID-19 pandemic, Louis Vuitton has successfully held their fashion show by completely adhering to the new normal. Social distancing measures were in place with just 112 guests for each show. All masked guests were seated 1 meter apart with extra precautions such as SafeEntry scans and temperature checks performed. Guests were further segmented into zones with no intermingling allowed between zones and all surfaces were sanitized between each show.
These safety measures not only applied to guests but also the backstage crew and models. The unmasked models walking down the runway were at least 3 meters away from the guests. The crew and models were also segregated into zones to decrease the possibility of transmission if someone was infected. Live streaming of the show was made available on Louis Vuitton’s website. For those active in the fashion industry, the success of Louis Vuitton’s show in Singapore is a sign that the industry is gradually recovering.
Highlights
Despite the sudden bout of rain, the show went on with spills being mopped up and umbrellas handed out to guests. The show featured local models such as Kaigin Yong and Diya Prabhakar with attendee celebrities like Rebecca Lim and Joanne Peh.
For the Spring – Summer 2021 Collection, in-between pieces that are both feminine and masculine were presented to erase gender and create endless possibilities. Gheesquière’s Summer 2021 Collection showcased vacation-friendly pieces in pastel-colored gradients, oversized monograms, oceanic hues, and more.
Success
Working behind the scenes, Spanish film-maker Fran Borgia and Singaporean show director Daniel Boey led the show to success. Louis Vuitton also collaborated closely with the Singapore Tourism Board by utilizing local talent, resource, infrastructure, and landscape. The success of Louis Vuitton’s show in Singapore will pave the way for other brands to address the challenges posed by the current pandemic.
Uprise of the Replica Market
As Louis Vuitton’s show created a buzz in the fashion world, the replica markets for designer goods also took advantage of the market by putting replicas from the latest collections on the market. Globally, the market for designer replicas have grown steadily and accounts for 3.3% of all global trade. Valued at US$461 billion in 2013, this number has risen to US$509 billion in 2019. This does not include replicas that are manufactured domestically or sold over the internet. Top selling replica categories include leather goods, clothing, and footwear.
In 2018, the US government seized US$450 million worth of designer replicas in New York after a six-year investigation. The goods included fake Hermes, Gucci, Coach, Burberry, Tory Burch, Louis Vuitton, and more. Even more recent, Shanghai authorities apprehended 62 criminal groups and confiscated replicas, raw materials, and equipment worth as much as $14.6 million.
