Analyzing BTS X Louis Vuitton FW21
Going beyond just white and black with the subtle cues.
I am not here to fangirl over how good the seven of them looked. That being said, yes they looked nice and top-notch with their styling, but I immediately focused more on the depiction of the ideologies earlier used in the FW 21 from Paris.
I would also not call myself an ARMY anytime soon, my fangirl days have long gone. I live for the story, the narration of it all, be it through a collection or a music video.
Yet, I must say they did regain my attention with the FW 21 presentation at Seoul.
If you want the further analysis to make sense, it’s best to read (or at least skim through) the earlier analysis for the FW 21 Collection.
Iconic Symbols and Plot
A few ideograms are eternal in the video: The mention of white, clouds, airplanes and pilots all fall back to the show notes which connect all the dots together.
An eerie enough soundtrack in the beginning fades into a serene one as the presentation progresses to bring ‘Hope’, which could refer to the previous tracks of BTS, Abloh’s idea of providing hope for a better world, the hope to develop and cooperate to build an all-inclusive society. The connotations can be endless.
With his fascination with airplanes and flying, Abloh has heavily depicted its imagery throughout the collection. Calling a classic paper plane as ‘an eternal undesigned object of boyhood’, he targets the underlying innocence we all have within, sequentially attempting to bring it forward to unite us.
All the seven members of BTS had the expression of longing for something, with a few seemingly surprised that they got their turn to pass on the information to the next. They were all walking and looking at someone to give them a cue to move forward, all being in their personalities.
With each member getting their own individual screen time, it’ll be convenient to go through this with the roll call.
Jimin: Pilots & Skyscrapers
The commencing sequence had a narration from a pilot who had been on the grind for 7 years and had encountered a completely foreign land, yet not abandoned. He further mentions noticing a skyscraper, which quite frankly could refer to the rendezvous of the shoot.
Jimin cladded in a white with trompe l’oeil jacket (called Travertine 90s Jacket as the print resembles the marbles created in off-white colors for construction purposes). He is also carrying a metallic Mirror Capsule Sac Plat and red glasses.
His entrance causing a butterfly effect undeniably makes him the pilot in this scenario. The white suit also refers to the question, ‘Are all businessmen always white?’
The pilot being at it for 7 years could refer to unveiling the racism, and Abloh 7.0’d it. In his show notes, he mentions 7.0’d as ‘The Virgil Abloh term for something that has been elevated to its ultimate degree.
He turns out to be the catalyst of change and bringing amendments, as soon as he reaches the end of a tunnel and enters what looks quite similar to a cockpit.
Kim Namjoon: The Poet
We are shown RM (Kim Namjoon) on the edge of a concrete floor, almost as if he was awaiting Jimin’s presence. By the sign of his appearance, RM starts walking beside a row of varied models. He is wearing an oversized black blazer with airplane accents as buttons. The hat having a tie around it synchronizes with the shirt under it.
He is carrying the mirror capsule briefcase, which had a great impact in the previous presentation, although not so much in the current one. RM’s outfit being the exact replica of the Poet from the previous presentation could have a reasoning of leadership.
In both shows, the Poet is not the direct change-maker, rather his actions act as a catalyst for it, knowing change is arriving inevitably. RM was the first waiting for Jimin, the pilot, while in the earlier presentation the Dancer was the one who brought the Art Heist.
He moves to the adjacent building to look at Suga.
Edit: A reader also mentioned that RM being great in storytelling through his raps could also be a reason that he is the Poet in this presentation.
Suga: The Conciliator
The ever-nonchalant Suga is seen sporting a similar Extra Large Jacket with airplane buttons and Classic Pants.
The accessories include The Litter Bag (yes it’s called that) from the Everyday LV Capsule with an attached Shoulder Strap Baudelaire which reads ‘At the same time at the same Place’, a quote said by Lawrence Weiner, a conceptual artist who collaborated with Abloh for the collection.
The LV Trainer Sneakers along with the bag provide a sporty touch to the whole ensemble, the greens complimenting his hair in faded blue. I tag him as the conciliatory individual as he is the one who contacts J-Hope, the one trapped.
J-Hope: The Oppressed
Peering out from an opening we see J-Hope waiting for Suga with a near-to disgusted expression which can only come with years of anger (read oppression).
He is cladded in a 3-button Jacket having African Wax Patterns. The whole collection has Abloh’s culture spread throughout: from Ghanian Kento to peignoir.
Hope in his name can be the reason he is in this pseudo-dungeon place with others. The hope of a better world is currently shoved under the carpet, giving the privileges of luxury to a select few.
He walks around, observes others’ accessories and bags, (which Abloh defines as ‘The ultimate expression of utility’).
Bags quite directly may state ‘You are not devoid of talent. It is just your race that you are so down in this dungeon with me…but we are about to change that, and I would love to appreciate the skills you’ve honed’.
Taehyung: Luxurious Veto
We see V wearing a checkered Window Pane Jacket made to resemble window panes, it is made from the devoré technique, giving it a semi-transparent red grid. A matching set is made with straight fit pants, accessorized with a coffee cup which has ‘’LOUIS’’ written on it as you would see on a Starbucks cup.
Over the jacket is an oversized black blazer with cohesive red pen holder as the red tie and shirt underneath. He is also carrying the iconic Ambassadeur PM bag, revamped with lack leather and embossed LV monogram.
Overall, V carries the most posh look out of the seven attires. He moves over to Jungkook, who awaits him on a construction lift.
Jungkook: Vital Connector
No wonder he does not walk in this sequence, donned in an Extra Long Coat with hammer and airplane button-details (playing with their occupation subtheme), he has pinstriped shirt and tie combination.
Accessories include an LV Eraser Necklace (it is derived from stationary used by an Architect). My only complaint? Could have been an actual eraser, irrespective of if anyone would actually use it. Earrings belong to the LV monogram used in a varied way, complimenting the almost buzz cut.
As Jungkook reaches to the top, we see an array of different models within their ‘professions’ (read outfits), clubbed together vaguely based on income levels. For example, we see the farmer and the artist on one floor, while the architect and writer on another.
Does that show Jungkook climbing up the ladder as him outweighing others because of V? This in reality could mean having contacts and connections to climb up the luxury ladder.
Jin: One with the Plan
Strutting to the final stage, Jin is wearing Scottish-Tartan patterned coat. Made from wool-blend fabric, the Tourist vs. Purist ideology is depicted with this iconic piece. He is also seen with a similar Litter Bag, but with a chain detail as the sling feature.
He looks up at ‘Hope’/The Plan, or simply, the inflatable balloon, with the next scene showing everyone staring at it. Could it mean they’ve got the same mindset now even after earlier being at different levels of the building or quite literally, social hierarchy? Then the line in the earlier narration, ‘I could never find that place again’ mean that we together still need to work towards an all-inclusive environment?
Abloh sure does leave a ton of images for the audience to interpret.
That said, it was a smart move to involve the most-famous kpop group into his equality formula. Representing BTS made Louis Vuitton include another minority group: Asians, East Asians to be specific.
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Did the whole analysis seem far fetched? It could have been. Apologies for some pixelated images. Feel free to take any information for your own use on credit.
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References: LV FW21 Show Notes
