Paris Fashion Week: Kim Jones unpacks his bags at Louis Vuitton

Kim Jones' first collection as head of the men's design studio for Louis Vuitton (he replaced Paul Helbers, and works with Marc Jacobs, the label's creative director) not only referenced the storied brand's heritage, but the designer's as well.

The backdrop was constructed to look like a gargantuan stack of Louis Vuitton steamer trunks, and as the models walked out between them, it created a feeling that the collection was essentially unpacking itself.

The set not only symbolized the label's deep roots in the luxe luggage business -- and the travel theme Jones often explored while helming the Alfred Dunhill brand -- but that the spring and summer 2012 collection would be emphasizing it as well.

And what a collection it was.

Inspired by the life of artist Peter Beard (a renowned photographer of East Africa and its fauna, whom Jones -- who grew up in Africa -- refers to as a hero of his in the show notes), it managed to do a fair bit of traveling itself -- from the Ivy League college campus that inspired preppy navy blue blazers and striped club ties to the wilds of Africa, which allowed for khaki-colored explorer gear and tribal-inspired designs, and jet-setting one more time to the big city, where the penthouse in the sky comes with silk pinstripe pajamas by day and ultra-luxe dinner jackets and ties gleaming with precious metals by night.

Hardly novel as archetypes go, (including at Vuitton, where African royalty inspired the fall 2009 runway collection), but it's the small twists and subtle details beyond the familiar silhouettes that make the collection worthy of the Louis Vuitton label (which this season includes a red and blue globe logo designed for the 1935 World Expo that Jones pulled from the archives).

In the collegiate/preppy part of the collection, that meant striped shirting fabric linings in blazers, T-shirts and gym shorts with the gray marl of standard-issue sweatsuits but done in a cashmere/silk blend and stadium jackets with metal snap buttons redesigned so the interior of the snap -- the part of the closure visible when the jacket is unbuttoned, has the same clean, polished and handsome look as the top of the snap.

The safari segment included a couple different takes on the House's checkerboard Damier print -- including a short-sleeve raffia shirt (raffia's been so popular on the runways of Milan and Paris this season, I wonder if there will be a shred of the fiber left come next spring), and shirts given an African tribal vibe.

Kim Jones to helm Louis Vuitton menswear

With all the kerfuffle over John Galliano -- and the rampant speculation of who might replace him at Christian Dior -- we almost missed the announcement of another personnel change in the French fashion world that landed in our inbox Tuesday. Kim Jones is replacing Paul Helbers as men's studio director at Louis Vuitton.

 Under artistic director Marc Jacobs, Helbers has been at the helm of the LV men's business for the last  five years -- a time period which saw the men's business nearly double, and included runway collections  inspired by African royalty, New York City bike messengers, the Wiener Werkstätte and, most recently, a mix of Amish simplicity and David Lynch creepiness.

Succeeding him in the position, effective Tuesday,  is Jones, who served as creative director of the century-old Alfred Dunhill brand for 2 1/2 years before leaving that post in September 2010.

I always thought Jones had a knack for interpreting and updating Dunhill's DNA -- not just in the clothing but accessories as well -- elegant Art Deco fountain pens, silk map-printed pocket squares and jump-drive keyfobs among them -- and I can't wait to see what he's going to do once he's turned loose in the vast archives of Louis Vuitton.

-- Adam Tschorn

"Witness" meets "Wild at Heart" at Louis Vuitton

 Photos: At top, the finale of the Louis Vuitton menswear AW11 runway show on Jan. 20, the last under men's studio director Paul Helbers. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times. At bottom, Kim Jones, who succeeds Helbers in that position effective Tuesday. Credit: Josh Olins.

Kim Jones steps down as creative director at Dunhill

After 2 1/2 years as creative director at British luxury brand Alfred Dunhill, Kim Jones is stepping down, according to a news release issued Sunday by Dunhill's chief executive, Christopher Colfer.

"Kim has made a valuable contribution to the creative development of Alfred Dunhill over the past 2½ years," Colfer's statement said. His collections have been both commercial and greatly appreciated and therefore we are sorry to see him go but his departure is in line with the original planning and strategy for the brand. We wish him the very best in his future creative endeavours."

In the news release, Jones thanked his creative team and said he looked forward to announcing future projects shortly "as well as publishing two books."

Jones' stint at Dunhill has dusted off the century-old heritage brand and injected it with a youthful sense of energy, and his shows have ranked among the most memorable of Paris Fashion Week the last few seasons, especially his spring-summer 2010 collection, which melded inspiration from the company's archives with a futuristic feel; displaying the models on a rotating dais stacked with polished aluminum suitcases.

The news release did not say who would replace Jones in the role, or the timetable for his departure.

 -- Adam Tschorn

Photo: Kim Jones' Alfred Dunhill spring-summer 2010 collection is seen at Paris Fashion Week in June 2009. Jones is stepping down after 2 1/2 years at the British luxury brand. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson / Special to the Los Angeles Times

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