Call it the world’s most exclusive members’ club.
When Louis Vuitton convenes a fashion show, whether on its home turf in Paris or in an exotic destination, it can count on a deep bench of brand ambassadors and friends of the house to pad out its front row.
The preshow cocktail for its cruise 2025 display in Barcelona had the feeling of a class reunion, as stars including Sophie Turner, Cynthia Erivo, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ana de Armas, Stacy Martin and sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim hugged and posed for pictures.
It was a chance to soak up the extraordinary setting: the sprawling Park Güell designed by modernist architect Antoni Gaudi at the turn of the 20th century. Described by Vuitton as an “architectural utopia,” it’s now a public garden listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the city’s top tourist draws.
“I feel like I’m at an LV-themed wedding,” said Phoebe Dynevor.
The “Bridgerton” star recently became engaged to her boyfriend Cameron Fuller, but has yet to start shopping for a wedding dress. “Too early. No plan,” she demurred.
She chose a black leather buckled mini skirt and felted checkerboard shirt for the evening show, held among the columns of the park’s Hypostyle Room.
“I wanted to feel cool and I wanted to lean into the grunge tonight,” she explained. “I don’t feel like Barcelona is very grunge, so I feel like I’m kind of bringing it.”
The British actress recently wrapped “Inheritance,” a thriller about a woman who discovers her father, played by Rhys Ifans, was once a spy. Her character’s look has proved hard to shake.
“I’m still growing out my shag haircut from that film,” she confessed. “I play a pretty grungy character – loads of tattoos.”
It was Jaden Smith’s first time at the venue. “It’s really some of the most beautiful architecture that I’ve ever seen,” he marveled.
“Every time I go to Disneyland, I’m always like, why does the architecture outside Disneyland not look like this? And this is reminding me of, like, a Disneyland for adults,” he added.
The singer and actor, known for his genderfluid style, rocked a crisp black top with oversized silver buttons and black pants designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, creative director of womenswear at Vuitton. “I just love how he’s kind of redefining what it means to wear formal clothing,” he said.
Smith, whose own MSFTSrep clothing line skews more psychedelic, confirmed he’s working on new music with Kid Cudi. “That’s my brother and kind of my mentor when it comes to everything,” he said. “It’s going really well.”
After braving a huge crowd of fans outside the venue, K-pop star Felix took a moment to close his eyes and soak up the late afternoon sunshine. It was a change of pace from March, when he walked in the show marking Ghesquière’s 10th anniversary at the French fashion house.
“But I also do miss the runway,” the Stray Kids member confessed. “It’s what I’ve always dreamt of doing, so just Nicolas making that dream come true, it makes me want to do it again. So in the future, if there’s more time, I’ll definitely take that offer.”
In the meantime, he’s focusing on his music career. “It is not official, but we are definitely working on new music as Stray Kids members and as a team, we do have a lot of things prepared, so I would say this year we can look forward to new songs,” he said.
Turner was having a déjà vu. “I’ve actually been here about 10 years ago,” said the “Game of Thrones” star, dressed in a bubble-gum pink pant suit, though she allowed the experience was a little different this time around. “Well, there’s more Champagne and more canapés,” she quipped.
The British actress is gearing up for the release of “Joan,” a historical true crime drama set to bow this fall. The six-part TV series is based on the life of Joan Hannington, a housewife who became one of the most notorious jewel thieves in England during the 1980s.
“It was a lot of research into her, a lot of kind of deep diving into how to pull off a good thieving,” Turner said of preparing for the role. “I did have to do a couple of bait-and-switches, and maybe I’m gonna have to do that tonight. If I find some jewelry that I like, or some bags, I’ll be putting it to good use.”
Meanwhile, Erivo, rocking a marabou feather vest with maxi shoulders, was looking forward to the release of “Wicked” on Nov. 27 after a series of delays, including a pause in shooting due to the SAG-AFTRA strike last year.
“Well, technically, you’ve been waiting for about 20-something years,” she said, referring to the musical’s Broadway debut in 2003. “But we started making the film in 2022 and finished in January because of the strikes.”
Erivo plays Elphaba Thropp, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, opposite Ariana Grande’s Glinda. “I think I’m probably quite witchy in my real life, but I’m definitely witchy in this, for sure,” she said.
Naomi Osaka was soaking up the atmosphere. “This is my first time in Barcelona,” she said. “It looks almost like a storybook, so I’m really excited to see more. It looks very magical.”
The tennis pro was preparing for the French Open, which kicks off on Sunday. The draw earlier that day meant she could face off against defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.
“I feel really good. I think my previous tournament, I showed some pretty good results so I’m excited to hopefully continue that,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion, who took a break last year to have her first child.
Some stars, like Liu Yifei, Saoirse Ronan and Pharrell Williams, creative director of menswear at Vuitton, bypassed the cocktail to head straight into show.
As other guests mingled, a booming sound occasionally pierced the air, scaring off birds. Unbeknownst to those who arrived early, a group of local residents had gathered outside to protest against the privatization of the park for the show, and local media later reported scuffles between demonstrators and police.
A spokeswoman for Vuitton declined to comment on the disturbance, which resulted in long queues for cars as guests left the event. BBC TV footage showed some protesters improvising their own runway show on the street. It turns out Barcelona is a little grunge, after all.
