Louis Vuitton to turn bridge over Seoul river into catwalk

Global luxury brand Louis Vuitton will premiere a fashion show in Seoul this weekend, expecting to attract leaders from the global fashion, culture and entertainment industries -- an event South Korea welcomes in hopes of a much-needed tourism boost. 

The French fashion house will stage the fashion show on April 29 on the Jamsugyo Bridge over the Han River, which glows through the South Korean capital. Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s creative director for female products, will use the occasion to present his pre-fall 2023 women’s collection in a global premiere.

Pre-fall fashion refers to the small capsule collections ahead of fall and winter. They are usually less formal and smaller in scale compared with the primary fall and spring runways during Fashion Week.

The runway in Seoul will mark Louis Vuitton’s first pre-fall show. The fashion giant has been introducing items for the season only through lookbooks so far, collections of photographs compiled to show off a model, photographer, style, stylist, or clothing line.

BIG FIGURES IN FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES

Global fashion industry leaders such as Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari are scheduled to attend the show.

Celebrities in South Korea and other countries including Jung HoYeon, a Louis Vuitton global ambassador, and Bae Doona, an actress who played a political activist in the film Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance directed by Park Chan-wook, are also likely to join the event.

The show starting at 8 p.m. local time is expected to end with an illuminated fountain performance. Louis Vuitton will stream the runway show in real-time, in which Netflix mega-hit Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk is participating as a creative director, on large screens in Seoul and its own social network services.

“Everything about the show is confidential but Louis Vuitton is reportedly preparing the best runway ever,” said an industry source in Seoul.

Louis Vuitton rented all facilities at Some Sevit, a man-made floating island next to the bridge, at an estimated cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars for receptions and parties on the day.

CULTURAL HUB

The show is likely to be in the spotlight as Louis Vuitton selected Seoul, not traditional homes of fashion such as Paris and New York, to unveil the new designs.

“I was really surprised when I heard Louis Vuitton will hold a fashion show in Seoul, even on a bridge,” said another South Korean industry source. “This is a historical event, which shows that the country’s status has been elevated.”

Louis Vuitton was known to have approached the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the event on the bridge.

South Korea is the world’s seventh-largest luxury brand consumption market, but that is not the only reason for Louis Vuitton’s decision, industry experts said.

Beccari said in a statement last week noted Seoul is a "cultural hub that continues to draw global attention" and a place that "shares a common spirit with Louis Vuitton for pioneering the future, reimagining creativity and nurturing savoir faire."

South Korea aims to utilize the event to promote the country and the Han River as the government has been trying to cut its travel account deficit. The country has been logging an annual travel account shortfall since 2000, according to central bank data.

The country’s authorities are actively supporting the show with traffic controls near the area and approval for the use of facilities around the venue.

Write to Soo-Jung Ha at agatha77@hankyung.com
 

Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.