Louis Vuitton Stages Cruise 2026 Show at Historic Palais des Papes in France

A model presents a creation by designer Nicolas Ghesquiere during the Cruise 2026 collection show for French fashion house Louis Vuitton at the Courtyard of Honor of the Palais des Papes in Avignon, France, May 22, 2025. REUTERS/Alexandre Dimou

Avignon, France, May 23 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Louis Vuitton presented its Cruise 2026 womenswear collection on Thursday evening in the main courtyard of the Palais des Papes, the imposing 14th-century fortress in the southern French city of Avignon.

Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière unveiled the latest collection for the LVMH-owned label, the world’s largest luxury brand, in a dramatic open-air setting as sunset bathed the gothic monument in warm light.

French First Lady Brigitte Macron, actors Catherine Deneuve and Cate Blanchett, and Louis Vuitton menswear designer Pharrell Williams were among the high-profile attendees seated front row along the stone-lined runway.

Models emerged in metallic tailored jackets, mirrored gladiator boots, and flame-patterned capes, while softer silhouettes included bohemian skirts and flowing blouses with exaggerated sleeves. Chain embellishments and pleated constructions added volume and texture to the collection, which played with light and shadow in the historic setting.

The show comes amid an extended downturn for the global luxury sector. Major fashion houses, including Gucci and Balenciaga (Kering), Chanel, and Dior (LVMH), have made leadership changes in recent months as the industry navigates shifting consumer demand and macroeconomic challenges.

Ghesquière, who has led Louis Vuitton’s womenswear division since 2013, remains at the creative helm following a contract extension signed in late 2023.

The choice of Palais des Papes, once the seat of the Catholic papacy, underscores Louis Vuitton’s continued strategy of staging fashion shows in architecturally significant sites, blending heritage, spectacle, and innovation.