Louis Vuitton’s Kooky Cast of Characters Bring Sensory Overload to the Design District

Iconic fashion brand Louis Vuitton aims to make waves during Miami Art Week. Cartoon animations created by men’s artistic director Virgil Abloh, a travel theme, art, and augmented reality — they're of a mind to stir up a crowd for the debut of their 2021 menswear collection.

"Zoooom with friends" first appeared during the 2020 Digital Fashion Week in Paris, with joyfully animated escapades throughout the city. Far from the usual foray into fashion week, the show only concluded when the characters packed their Louis Vuitton trunks and climbed aboard shipping containers headed East. Next stops included Shanghai and Tokyo as gigantic balloons, but they’re now embarking on a global adventure to celebrate the fashion house’s spirit of travel. Next stop: Miami.

The pandemic played a part in this different take for the brand. This spring/summer 2021 men’s collection was founded on four methods of upcycling: New looks were made from recycled material; looks were repeated from the fall/winter 2020 collection; looks were freely created by the studio during lockdown using recycled material; and new looks created from existing ideas. The premise for the evolution of the menswear collection having been set, "Zoooom with friends" stepped in to illustrate the lighthearted nature a major fashion brand can take when tasked with evolving and making a statement during this New Normal.
Miami is the rebel crew’s first-ever stop in North America. At Jungle Plaza, you’ll be able to navigate an engaging outdoor environment featuring "Zoooom with friends’" larger-than-life balloon figures positioned among bespoke shipping containers and delightfully irreverent sculptures. Selfie fans can pose for pics with pieces like an enormous pair of Louis Vuitton sunglasses.

The Louis Vuitton Men’s Temporary Residency in the Miami Design District is open to the public and will feature a custom augmented-reality experience. QR codes will be displayed and activated via Snapchat, allowing you to interact with the characters’ animated incarnations while generating your own unique and sharable content.

This being 2020, social-distancing and other safety precautions have been instituted. You can make your timed-entrance reservations onsite via QR stations throughout the Design District.

After Miami, "Zoooom with friends" will bring the spring/summer 2021 men’s collection to life in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Toronto.

Louis Vuitton Men’s Temporary Residency. 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, December 4, through January 25, 2021; at Jungle Plaza, 3801 NE First Ave., Miami. By appointment only; sign up via the QR code stations in the Design District.