While the rest of the world was still in post-Met Gala recovery mode, Nicholas Ghesquière was onwards and upwards with his Louis Vuitton Resort 2020 show, which took to the once-abandoned TWA Flight Centre in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The unique midcentury-style terminal was designed in 1962 at the height of the Jet Age by architect Eero Saarinen, who conceived of a white and glass building shaped like the wings of a vast bird. The structure closed in 2001 for being unable to support the size of modern day airplanes, but now readies to reopen as the new TWA hotel with a flashy debut alongside the Louis Vuitton show. “This place was forgotten for twenty years and now has come back to life,” recalls Ghesquière. “It’s about rediscovering an uncommon place that yet is a part of American heritage.”

For the show, the space was transformed into a green oasis where tropical plants framed the curved interiors and retro flight departure boards. Here, Ghesquiere presented a retro-futuristic vision that mixed ‘80s-era opulence with the French Maison’s savoir-faire. Models appeared with mullets, Mohawks, and big crimped hair, complete with temple-framing blush and bold red lips. The collection saw sculptural silhouettes built on strong shoulders and leather belt-cinched waists. A mashup of textiles ran the gamut of velvet, satin, leather and lace, escalated by acid colours and panels of dazzling brocades. References to New York City were most obvious in the prints of the skyline and the Wall Street-inspired suits, but also in the range of styles that spanned from uptown cardigans to downtown miniskirts. The accessories range featured sturdy leather boots in various forms, while iconic Louis Vuitton bags were made anew with digital panels that flashed moving images.