Louis Vuitton to host cruise 2026 show in Avignon

French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton is heading to Palais des Papes, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Avignon, France, to showcase its cruise 2026 collection on May 22.

In a statement, Louis Vuitton said that Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections, chose Palais des Papes, classified as a historic monument, for its “marvel of Gothic architecture”.

The event will mark the first-ever fashion show hosted at the monument, which overlooks the city of Avignon and dates back to the Middle Ages in 1335 when it was constructed under the initiative of Benedict XII.

As well as showcasing the cruise collection, Louis Vuitton is also keeping with its tradition of supporting local heritage and community projects in the destination cities it selects for cruise shows and will help fund a lighting project for Palais des Papes.

The project aims to enhance the monumental architecture and ensure the safety of the roadways around the square and will illuminate the facades of the buildings facing the square, including Palais des Papes, the cathedral, the Petit Palais, the Hôtel des Monnaies, and the Hotel Calvet de la Palun.

Louis Vuitton has previously hosted its cruise collections in globally renowned locations and architectural masterpieces, such as the Bob and Dolores Hope Residence by John Lautner in Palm Springs, the Oscar Niemeyer Museum of Contemporary Art in Niteroi, the Miho Museum by I.M. Pei near Kyoto, and the Salk Institute in California.

The fashion house said the Avignon location echoes its first cruise show at Place du Palais in Monaco and its show at the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul de Vence. The cruise 2026 collection will be available in Louis Vuitton boutiques from November.