When model freja beha Erichsen emerged on the Louis Vuitton fall/winter 2014 runway in a snap-front leather trench with the Petite Malle in hand, it was clear that Nicolas Ghesquière was determined to make a very specific first impression: to make history. He managed to seamlessly meld his expertise in experimentation with the proverbial codes of the house, crafting a clear image of who his Louis Vuitton girl is, and where she’s going.

This spring/summer 2015, Ghesquière builds on his girl of last season with A-line being one of the predominant silhouettes, this time with a British tailored edge and a psychedelic-futuristic inspiration. Dreamed up as what being able to travel through time and space without moving would look like, this sartorial series see retro and collegiate-style dresses and skirt-top combinations as the focus, fashioned with panels of navy, mustard and red eel skin, sheer white woven fabrics and micro-sequin-embellished leather.

There is also a certain romanticism that strings through the collection, most distinct in the floral tapestry print in jewel tones that cover biker jackets and collared blouses paired with high waisted cropped flare trousers in matching materials. Sporty bra tops in quilted velvet add to the retro but forward-looking aesthetic, as do knee-high boots with monogram flower heels and hand jewels in metal. Overall, it cues a pretty preppy, neo-seventies vibe for a woman seduced by the act of wandering and rediscovering familiar places with new eyes.

Fresh perspectives are also given to accessories, like with the instantly iconic Petite Malle. The result of shrinking the classic trunk into a box minaudiere —a design that made everyone go, “Why didn’t I think of that?”—the Petite Malle not only returns with a new monogram canvas black and red colour combination, but in a roomier thus more functional, pillow-like leather version called Souple.

With lines inherited from the Trapèze, the Twist bag with an updated version of the signature turn-lock that debuted last season, too, returns in Malletage and denim-effect Epi leather with a “wave” base the provides extra space for storing things the city slicker holds dear. Then there is the Dora, one of Ghesquière’s many new styles for the maison that appears in a palette of neutrals, either brown etoile with calfskin trim or monogram canvas with white coloured calfskin leather trim, and a white on tan full leather option perfect for the urban sophisticate on holiday.

On the back of an amazing debut, this collection makes a lasting second impression: studious in the distinctive art of flaneur, far from referential when it comes to merging the many worlds the maison holds dear, and more importantly, simply believable—almost as if Ghesquière had known what the Louis Vuitton girl would look like all this time. 

You might also like:

• Made-to-Order. Valextra launches its Bespoke Service in Singapore
• EVENTS: Louis Vuitton Series 2 Exhibition: Past, Present, Future
• #ITGirls: Katiana Sukamto, Stephanie Lee and Carmen Ow