There was a stark contrast between the masculine and the feminine, with urban biker-chic-meets-Goth balancing out freer and more fluid conception.

Louis Vuitton showcased a bold new creative vision for Spring / Summer 2016 at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

The luxury house's Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière opened the show with a series of urban biker-chic-meets-Goth ensembles that riffed on black, white and Barbie pink. There were platform shoes, lace skirts and mesh tops with asymmetric hemlines.

But the look soon morphed into a freer and more fluid conception, featuring silky soft boiler suits with tie-dye detailing or Eastern-looking embroidery in beige and red tones. Drop-waisted maxi dresses boasted a delicate geometric leaf pattern in metallic appliqué, and ruched puffball mini skirts were teamed with bell-sleeved blouses that added a touch of the Renaissance to the proceedings.

There was a stark contrast between the masculine and the feminine, with those aforementioned puffball skirts and ruffled shirts being paired with straight-lined, mannish leather waistcoats for an androgynous look. Trousers and shorts bearing geometric, abstract shapes were worn by both male and female models, teamed with everything from ruffled disco crop tops to utilitarian overcoats.

The star of the show was the leather jacket, which appeared in multiple forms. There were boxy biker jackets decorated with racing stripes and the house's signature checkered motif, and there were more fitted, zippered versions with the LV logo running down one side and a red and white stripe running down the other. Bomber styles with dreamy watercolor panels across the breast gave off an artistic vibe, while a long-length two-tone leather overcoat in black and scarlet screamed status. The leatherwork extended to dresses, too, which featured minimalist bodices that descended gently into flared fabric skirts.

The show closed on a futuristic note, with astronaut-style jumpsuits mixed in with textured metallic skirts and iridescent sequins. From the models' extravagantly ruffled collars down to the pointed tips of their snakeskin boots, this collection was a lesson in creative freedom.

 

More from Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016: Tribal chic is the new look for next spring at Valentino.