Louis Vuitton’s Head Artistic Director, Virgil Abloh, presented his men’s Fall-Winter 2020 fashion show titled “Heaven on Earth” last week. Within this collection, Virgil explores what makes stylish formal wear today in an era where fashion has become as progressive as ever.

Before the show, invitees received a backward running clock adorned with the house’s signature monogram on full display in place of traditional numbers. Virgil had stated in his post on Instagram that the clock was a reference to the metaphor, “a broken clock is right twice a day.” The broken clock was the perfect way for Virgil to capture his message about duality within fashion before his show.

The set of the show itself can only be described as dreamlike, blue skies and lush clouds paint the walls which are creatively accompanied by giant-size studio tools completing the surreal environment. Virgil showing this collection in such a dreamscape- like setting, could serve to further push his message of inspiration behind the collection which, “is about being open-minded and free, even in the constructs of formal menswear.”

Virgil really encapsulated that message in this show by creatively blending classic style tailoring and slim silhouettes with a wide array of materials, colors, and accessories. The results are a reconfiguration and re-imagination of what is considered formal menswear today. There were models wearing much more toned down outfits with one or two stand-alone pieces that would add panache to the more classic styled looks.

We also saw some boundary-pushing styling in the form of all-over cloud print suits as well as cutout dress shirts, and suits generously garnished with ruffles. Virgil choosing to use traditional style tailoring while also exploring different visual aesthetics for his garments, was the perfect way to bridge the gap between classic formal menswear and his vision of men’s fashion, which is to say that fashion is as subjective as ever. Virgil was able to put together a refined modern take on such a well defined and long-lasting style in a really cohesive and creative manner.