Louis Vuitton dazzles luxury-seeking Seoul with first pre-fall show

LVMH's top fashion brand Louis Vuitton held its first-ever pre-fall fashion show on Saturday on a bridge in Seoul, the capital of a leading luxury market.

In one of the highest profile events since chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari started at Louis Vuitton earlier this year, the runway on the lower level of the double-decker Jamsu bridge that spans the Han River was bathed in blue shadows.

Models walked the 795 metre (2,608 feet) bridge, where traffic was stopped for 24 hours, wearing fitted, sporty designs with geometric patterns designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton.

They strode out of a tunnel on chunky-heeled shoes in slick windbreakers, miniskirts that flared out and striped suits. Korean traditional music mingled with contemporary pieces to set the background.

In common with other European luxury houses, including Dior and Valentino, Vuitton has sought to tap into the global popularity and youth appeal of K-pop stars, naming them as ambassadors who wear and promote their clothes.

On Saturday the creator and director of 2021's Netflix hit drama "Squid Game" Hwang Dong-hyuk participated in the show scenography.

South Koreans have become the world’s biggest spenders per capita on personal luxury goods, splashing out an average of $325 a year, analysts at Morgan Stanley say.