European luxury brands turn US into global runway stage
From Times Square to a New York subway platform, major European luxury fashion houses are staging spectacular runway shows across the United States, a market that is both a priority and a trendsetter.
Dior, which in 2024 presented a retro-inspired collection in the colors of the U.S. flag at the Brooklyn Museum, chose the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in mid-May for a Cruise show paying tribute to Hollywood’s golden age, CE Report quotes ANSA.
On May 20, Louis Vuitton took over another museum, the Frick Collection, for its Cruise show, just days after launching a menswear collection inspired by New York City. The French house and the prestigious institution also announced a sponsorship partnership, with exhibitions and free events supported by Louis Vuitton. On Fifth Avenue, crowds lined up to photograph the spectacular set design featuring giant trunks and logos.
This reflects renewed interest by luxury brands in the U.S. market, experts say. “In recent years, the Chinese market has slowed significantly. The Middle Eastern market has also been affected,” notes Pierre-François Le Louët, president of the consultancy NellyRodi.
Despite the recent bankruptcy filing of the group owning luxury department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, the U.S. market “remains a safe haven” amid geopolitical and economic instability, says Serge Carreira, professor at Sciences Po Paris and a leader within the French Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion, speaking to AFP. In New York in particular, it generates significant revenue, adds Le Louët, noting that the city’s rapid development also creates new luxury retail spaces.
“Embodying modernity”
The challenge for major fashion houses remains reaching the widest possible audience, Carreira explains. The United States, as a “strong cultural reference point,” allows brands to stage shows that deliver both a local message and global visibility.
Images of Chanel models in the New York subway went viral in December, with some later appearing on stage at the Met Gala, the annual fashion and celebrity event, in early May.
Footage of former NFL star Tom Brady and reality TV pioneer Paris Hilton walking for Gucci in Times Square, watched by celebrities including Kim Kardashian, circulated globally.
European luxury houses aim to continue “embodying modernity,” which also means placing celebrities in the front row, according to Le Louët.
The New York Fashion Week, held in February and September and increasingly losing ground to its European counterparts, is set for reform in 2027. While it may appear that American fashion is being overtaken in the short term, competition is generally beneficial, says Valerie Steele of the Fashion Institute of Technology. She argues that such spectacular shows at home remind American brands of the prestige of European haute couture and encourage them to innovate, ultimately reigniting global interest in fashion.
Photo: Wikipedia
