Vuitton’s famous Damier provided the template for the checks—both large and small. Even the floral embroideries were stitched in mini-squares, and the house’s iconic Speedy bag got cubed, too. The checks gave this collection a graphic immediacy not unlike that of Jacobs’ signature line in New York, where stripes ruled. A month ago, that show got fashion watchers talking about the new minimalism. Backstage today, the designer said, “After the romance of the train and storytelling, this felt like something very powerful without telling a story. I was like, yeah, let’s have a grid.” A flash of flat tummy between bandeau top and maxi skirt and hipbones jutting out from a cropped jacket and a lean pencil skirt ensured that the collection didn’t feel cold, despite its comparative lack of emotion. The sunshine yellow worked its optimistic magic, too.
