Louis Vuitton to present its Cruise collection in New York on May 20th The fashion house will set down its famous trunks in one of the city's most prestigious institutions

The Cruise 26 collection was presented in the heart of Avignon, France, within the majestic Palais des Papes. This year, a transatlantic crossing seems a natural next step. Destination: New York, the city where everything feels possible. Stepping away from urban clichés and noisy thoroughfares, the Artistic Director of Women’s Collections has set his sights on an architectural jewel located at 1 East 70th Street: the Frick Collection. Here, the aesthetic is hushed and refined -a far cry from the "gritty" subway platform chosen by Matthieu Blazy for his debut Métiers d’Art show at Chanel. Ghesquière prefers the labyrinth of galleries with green velvet walls. In all likelihood -and according to the temporary closures announced by the museum- the runway should wind through the Octagon Room, the Anteroom, the Cabinet Gallery, the Dining Room, and the Enamels Room, not forgetting the inner courtyard, a true oasis of calm in the heart of the New York tumult.

Just a few days ago, Louis Vuitton released shots from its Pre-Fall 26 campaign in the streets of "the city that never sleeps." This time, it was Pharrell Williams, Artistic Director of the menswear line, who took over one of the city's landmarks -Central Park- to serve as the backdrop for his campaign. The series of candid shots proves that New York is a masterpiece in its own right. While Louis Vuitton maintains a long-standing relationship with the city, the Frick Collection is preparing for a historic first: it has never hosted a fashion show before. The house of the famous monogram is doing more than just borrowing the venue for a few hours; it has committed to financially supporting the institution as part of a three-year cultural partnership.

By choosing New York, Nicolas Ghesquière seeks to engage the American clientele, with whom the house maintains strong ties through the men's division, notably with Pharrell Williams. This choice also follows the tradition of monumental runway shows, following Park Güell in Barcelona and JFK Airport’s Terminal 5 in New York. By taking over the Frick Collection, Louis Vuitton is doing more than just occupying space; the house is cementing its place among Manhattan’s great patrons of the arts.