It's safe to say it's the most exclusive members' club in the world.
When Louis Vuitton holds a fashion show, whether it's in its home base of Paris or some exotic locale, you can expect a large audience of brand ambassadors and friends of the brand filling the front row.
The Cruise 2025 pre-show cocktail party in Barcelona had a reunion-like atmosphere, with stars like Sophie Turner, Cynthia Erivo, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ana de Armas, Stacy Martin, and sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim embracing each other and posing for photos.
It was a chance to soak up the stunning setting of the vast Park Güell, designed by modernist architect Antoni Gaudi in the early 20th century and described by Louis Vuitton as an “architectural utopia”, and now a UNESCO World Heritage-listed public garden, one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.
“It feels like we're at an LV-themed wedding,” Phoebe Dynevor said.
The “Bridgerton” star recently got engaged to boyfriend Cameron Fuller, but hasn't started shopping for a wedding dress just yet. “It's too early. I don't have a plan,” she hesitated.
She opted for a black leather buckled mini skirt and a felt plaid shirt for the evening show, which was held among the pillars of the park's Hypostyle Room.
“I wanted to feel cool tonight and lean into the grunge,” she explained. “I feel like Barcelona isn't very grunge, so I kind of embraced that.”
Phoebe Dynevor sits front row at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025 show.
Aitor Rosas Sune/WWD
The British actress recently wrapped filming Inheritance, a thriller about a woman who discovers that her father, played by Rhys Ifans, was once a spy, and her character's looks prove to be shrewd.
“I'm still growing out that shaggy haircut I had in that movie,” she confessed. “I'm playing some pretty raunchy characters, so I've got a lot of tattoos.”
It was Jaden Smith's first time visiting the venue: “It's some of the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen,” he marveled.
“Every time I go to Disneyland I wonder why the architecture outside of Disneyland doesn't look like this. It reminds me of Disneyland for adults,” he added.
The singer and actor, known for his genderfluid style, wore a crisp black top with oversized silver buttons and black trousers designed by Vuitton's womenswear creative director Nicolas Ghesquière. “I love how he's redefining what it means to wear formal clothes,” he said.
Cynthia Erivo and Jaden Smith sit front row at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025 show.
Aitor Rosas Sune/WWD
Smith, whose MSFTSrep clothing line leans more psychedelic, confirmed that he's working on new music with Kid Cudi. “He's my brother and he's like my mentor in everything,” he said. “It's going really well.”
After braving throngs of fans outside the venue, K-pop star Felix closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed the early evening sunlight — a stark difference from when he walked in on Ghesquière's 10th anniversary show for the French fashion house in March.
“But I miss the runway,” the Stray Kids member confessed. “It's something I've always dreamed of, so just having Nicholas make that dream come true makes me want to do it again. So, if I have more time in the future, I'd definitely take up the offer.”
In the meantime, he's focusing on his music career. “It's not official, but I can say for sure that as a member of Stray Kids and as a team, we are working on new music. We have a lot of things in store, so I think you can look forward to new songs this year,” he said.
Felix sits front row at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025 show.
Aitor Rosas Sune/WWD
Turner was feeling a sense of deja vu: “I was actually here about 10 years ago,” said the Game of Thrones star, clad in a bubblegum pink pantsuit, though she acknowledged that this time around was a slightly different experience. “Well, there was a lot of champagne and canapes,” she joked.
The British actress is gearing up for the release of the historical crime drama “Joan” this autumn. The six-part TV series is based on the life of Joan Hannington, a housewife who became one of Britain's most notorious jewel thieves in the 1980s.
“I did a lot of research on her and how to pull off a heist,” Turner said of the role. “I've had to do some bait-and-switch tactics, and I might have to do it again tonight. If I find any jewelry or bags that I like, I'll put them to good use.”
Meanwhile, Erivo, wearing a maxi-shoulder marabou feather vest, was looking forward to the November 27 release of Wicked after a series of delays, including a halt to filming due to last year's SAG-AFTRA strike.
“Well, technically we've been waiting over 20 years,” she said, referring to the musical's Broadway premiere in 2003. “But we started production on the film in 2022 and finished in January because of the strike.”
Erivo will play Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West, opposite Ariana Grande's Glinda. “I think I'm pretty witchy in real life, and I'm definitely witchy in this film,” she says.
Naomi Osaka sits front row at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025 show.
Aitor Rosas Sune/WWD
Naomi Osaka was soaking up the atmosphere. “This is my first time in Barcelona,” she said. “It's like something out of a fairy tale book, so I'm really looking forward to seeing more. It's so magical.”
The professional tennis player was preparing for the French Open, which begins on Sunday, when a draw earlier in the day saw her face defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.
“I feel really good. I thought I did pretty well in the last tournament so hopefully I can continue that,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion, who took a break last year to give birth to her first child.
Some stars, including Liu Yifei, Saoirse Ronan and Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams, skipped the cocktail party and headed straight to the show.
Occasionally a loud bang pierced the air, startling the birds as other guests mingled. Unbeknownst to the early arrivals, a group of local residents had gathered outside to protest the privatization of the park because of the show, and local media later reported that there had been skirmishes between demonstrators and police.
A Louis Vuitton spokesman declined to comment on the chaos that erupted in long car queues as guests left the event. BBC television footage showed protesters staging an impromptu runway show in the street. Turns out Barcelona is a bit grunge after all.
