Louis Vuitton Fall 2010

After the cacophony of color, oversized afro wigs and undeniably youth-inspired looks from Louis Vuitton last season, it was a monsoon of change for fall/winter as Marc Jacobs took the French fashion house in a sophisticated and remarkably womanly direction.

It was the idea of harking back to the luxury of what it is to be a woman, Jacobs noted of his “joyous woman” collection, which was shown under a greenhouse-like tent surrounding complete with an active fountain in the Cour Carrée du Louvre and set to the music of “And God Created Woman.”

The look was clear: demure day dressing harking back to the late 50s/early 60s cusp with silhouettes that were full-skirted in the new longer lengths. No bursts of color here; just simple warm greys with a smattering of blues, roses and bronzes. Curvy, womanly figures articulated through the casting of models such as Laetitia Casta, Bar Refaeli, Adriana Lima and Elle Macpherson, who closed the show in a stunning strapless taffeta gown paired with block-heeled, pointed court shoes with flat, square bows. The show message was clear: voluminous. Whether it was the full-skirted dress arriving with either corseted tops or plunging V-necks and circle skirts hitting just below the knee or the new awkward calf length, shrunken tailored jackets, form-fitted redingotes, cutaway cropped jackets and neat sweaters complemented and reinforced the season’s masculine suiting trend. Some were even layered with long-length knitted dresses and nicely trimmed with velvet ribbon straps and belts and fur buttons and collars. For evening it was out-and-out ballgown glamour, with dresses featuring poufy gathered skirts beneath ruched bodices.

As for those requisite bags that have made Vuitton the luxury powerhouse it is, Jacobs chose to hark on variations on a theme with his classic 80-year-old Speedy bag (originally called the Express). Remastered or simply reinterpreted, they came sauntering out in everything from ostrich leather to polished croc, monogrammed with a floral flocking over the top, in a sequined Damier check basket weave, blistered cloqué or simply, and adorably, fluffy all-over fur.