UCSD X LV

Just over a couple of weeks ago, world-renowned and high-end French fashion house Louis Vuitton had a photo shoot on our very own campus here at UC San Diego. No one seemed to know about the shoot until Monday, April 29. Louis Vuitton posted several photos on its Instagram account and the days following with models that appeared to be standing in front of some very familiar buildings.

The background showed angles of Geisel Library, York Hall, and even the Pedestrian Bridge in Revelle College. Several of the models even posted additional photos on their personal Instagram accounts, including London-based Pro-Skater Lucien Clarke, who ran through Geisel Library in this short clip.

They shot at our campus for Louis Vuitton’s new men’s line and collaboration,  “Staples Edition,” with American fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who has been the artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections since March 2018.

Just a month before the “Staples Edition” photoshoot appeared on Instagram, Louis Vuitton also took photos at our very own Salk Institute for its new lightweight luggage line, “Horizon Soft,” which was created by Australian designer, Marc Newson. The Salk Institute shoot featured American model and former Victoria’s Secret Angel Karlie Kloss, and Chinese Canadian model and former South Korean-Chinese boy band EXO/EXO-M member Kris Wu.

Both on-campus locations provided fantastic settings for the campaigns. The Salk Institute photoshoot was perfect for the luggage line with its “down-by-the-ocean” travel vibe. Bags float in the blue sky and the models look like they’re on the move, with Kloss in a new and improved flight attendant outfit, and Wu wearing a modern aviator jacket. The Geisel and Revelle photoshoot set the tone of the contemporary men’s clothing line with stone buildings and a modern bridge complimenting the line’s muted tones of beige, brown, blue, white, gray, and black.

Torrey Pines Gliderport would have been another great location for the luggage line photoshoot. This location provides a gorgeous setting of sun-n-surf, exuding a “travel destination” ambience with paragliders in the distance. For the “Staples Edition” line, the stone pillars of the “La Jolla Project,” a part of our Stuart Art Collection, would have also been a cool and contemporary arrangement for the shoot. The placement of the stone pieces around the lawn just south of Galbraith Hall, in front of the Theater District, would have provided a brooding complex for the men’s line along with the stoicism of an artistic still shot.

Both shoots were amazing regardless; Louis Vuitton did an incredible job as usual, and it is definitely an honor that our campus was chosen to host this major powerhouse in the fashion industry.

Ivana Cuk is a Staff Writer for The Triton.

Update 5/29/19 7:15 p.m.: A previous version of Lucien Clarke listed them as a Jamaican model. While they are from Jamaica, they are better known as a London-based professional skater.