Louis Vuitton Will Stage Its Cruise 2026 Show in Avignon, France

Louis Vuitton is gearing up for its next great showdown. On May 22, the French fashion house will unveil its 2026 Cruise collection on the grounds of the Palais des Papes, a Gothic jewel listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Avignon, France.

Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of Louis Vuitton's women's collections, has chosen to anchor his new creations in the centuries-old stone. Under the high vaults and austere ramparts of the Palais des Papes, a select group of guests will attend the late May show where fashion embraces history, where the present bows before eternity.

Preparations are already in full swing. Alongside the LVMH teams, Avignon Tourisme and the city are working hard to orchestrate this exceptional event, balancing logistical requirements, security imperatives, and welcoming the public to this site visited each year by thousands of admirers. Particular attention will be paid to the protection of the monument, a jewel of Gothic architecture, so that its brilliance is magnified without being altered.

Louis Vuitton will finance an ambitious illumination project for the Palais des Papes and its surroundings. Thanks to this initiative, as soon as night falls, the facades of the monument, the neighboring cathedral, the Petit Palais, and the Hôtel des Monnaies will be ablaze with a new light, enhancing the centuries-old stones and making the surrounding area safer for visitors.

This is the first time that this imposing 14th-century building, a testament to the pontifical golden age, will open its doors to a fashion event of this magnitude. The symbolic choice resonates with the spirit of Louis Vuitton's upcoming cruise collection that offers an invitation to travel, to culture, to the rediscovery of the treasures of world heritage.

Like the Lake Como area earlier this year, illuminated by the Chanel Cruise show, Avignon's local region will see its global reputation strengthened, and with it, economic and tourist benefits. 

On May 22, 2025, the city will not only be a silent witness to history: It will become the living setting for a celebration of beauty, creation, and travel, through the silhouettes designed by Ghesquière.