louis vuitton to present 2023 cruise collection at louis kahn’s salk institute
DOUBLE LOUIS – VUITTON GOES TO KAHN
Louis Vuitton is taking the presentation of the Cruise 2023 show to one of the world’s most remarkable architectural structures — Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute in La Jolla, California. Set to take place on May 12, 2022, the event continues with the Maison’s architectural explorations, something that has served as inspiration to Nicolas Ghesquière, LV’s Artistic Director of Women’s Collections.
In the past, Louis Vuitton has presented the Cruise show at the MAC by Oscar Niemeyer in Niteroi, Brazil (2016); the Miho Museum by Ieoh Ming Pei outside Kyoto, Japan (2017), and the TWA Flight Center by Eero Saarinen at JFK airport in New York (2019), among others.
THE SALK INSTITUTE, AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE
Completed in 1965 — and exuding a Brutalist concrete elegance — the Salk Institute was designed by Estonian-born American architect Louis Kahn in collaboration with Dr. Jonas Salk, founder of the institute and developer of the first polio vaccine. Set along the Pacific coast, the design consists of two mirror-image structures that contain a travertine courtyard in-between. The imposing structures merge bold lines with an intimate scale that frames the Pacific Ocean.
Today, the independent non-profit research institute hosts renowned scientist making discoveries in the fields of aging, cancer, neuroscience, immunology, climate change, and other areas benefiting global health and wellbeing.
This is not the first time Louis Vuitton has been amazed by the Salk Institute. In the past, the location was featured on the 2019 Travel Campaign, and on the LV Book #10 – The California Issue.
‘Having spent a lot of time in California, I was drawn to the idea of showing there again,’ said Nicolas Ghesquière. ‘The Salk Institute has been a place of wonder for me over the years and Louis Kahn’s stunning Brutalist architecture against this extraordinary setting of the Pacific Ocean and the California sunset provides me with endless inspiration. It also celebrates intelligence, knowledge and the belief in the power of science.’
On the other hand, this will be the first time the Salk Institute will hold a fashion show. The presentation will be live-streamed on louisvuitton.com.
juliana neira I designboom
apr 14, 2022
