It’s not everyday that a girl gets invited to meet the global visual team for Louis Vuitton, headed by Director of Visual Faye McCleod, and it certainly isn’t everyday that a girl gets to see their work a day BEFORE it is revealed to the rest of the world on fashion’s biggest night in New York City– Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out. When I received my invitation, I thought it was a party with numerous of guests. When I arrived, it turned out I was only one of two guests (the other being Refinery 29′s Kristina Laliberte). I hate being late and was completely horrified to realize the other guest had left by the time I arrived but VERY excited to have Faye and her team to myself (I missed the “sharing is caring” class in kindergarten, obviously). Before we started our interview, I also got sidetracked by Faye’s sheepskin LV Bag, I mean– talk about blankie love, it is just about the softest and cuddliest thing, ever! And let’s not get into her sick alligator chain link double cuffs! But back to the business at hand, Louis Vuitton didn’t invite me to this super private shindig for my pretty face ya know. Read on below for my interview with the fabulous threesome (oh and super gorgeous team I should I say!) who not only assist Marc Jacobs conceive his fashion show ideas, but give birth to them (sometimes in 6 days– hello, I carried my baby for 9.5 months!), bring it to life on the runway and subsequently, into Louis Vuitton visual windows world wide.
Bag Snob: I am so excited to see the windows tomorrow night! Tell me about the process of coming up with ideas for the F/W 2011 runway show and bringing it to life from runway to windows.
Faye: For F/W 2011 runway, we came up with the idea of creating a hotel, like the Claridges, where models would walk up multiple stairs on to the stage, with very stern bellmen at the helm (they actually brought in a British bellman for the show!). We put together art renderings and we showed it to Marc. He loved the idea but then told us, “wait, the girls will be wearing really high 12 inch heels, so this isn’t going to work. How about putting elevators on stage instead?” So that’s how this came about. We brought the same ideas to the windows, but we are going back to the stairs– we can’t really put elevators in the windows, you know. We’re taking the same ideas from the runways and making them work in the windows. Everything will be scaled down to fit the windows.
BS: I read that this is the first time you’ve done a window specifically for New York city?
Faye: Yes, we really wanted to bring a new level of chic to our New York store windows, I mean, this is 5th Avenue! We are pushing the standards and pushing the game. To me, window displays really set the standards for a brand. It is the first interaction with the customer. The best compliment is to see hand prints on your window displays. We are having fun with this, with our creativity. We are not into trends, but into what we feel what Vuitton should be.
BS: Did Marc have any input in to the windows for FNO?
Faye: Oh yeah, for sure he did, I run downstairs all the time and shout: “Marc, I have this idea!” And he’s generally receptive to them. We had these mannequins custom made, to look just like the maids in the show, complete with the feather dusters.
BS: Wait so no real people in the windows like last year?
Faye: No, tomorrow is an art installation for the evening. You have to come to our Fashion’s Night out celebration to see it! It will be altered on Friday morning.
BS: Will the mannequins be smoking?
Faye: (Chuckles) You must be talking about Kate. We had no idea that would be so controversial! And certainly we didn’t know it was National “No Smoking” Day in London, we were exhausted and working day and night to finish the show!
BS: It’s incredible howyou start with these sketches, and end up with a show of Kate Moss in an elevator and months later, into window displays.
Faye; Well, ideas evolve very quickly here at Louis Vuitton, especially when you’re working with Marc! It’s really fun and it keeps us on our toes.
BS: So how long are you going to be up tonight working on the FNO windows?
Faye: Oh probably all night…
If you want to see the incredible window art installations at Louis Vuitton (one night only!), head over to Louis Vuitton tonight for a Fashion’s Night Out celebration from 6-9pm!!!!
