"People Are Dying in the Heatwave": Luxury Fashion Show Sparks Public Outrage

As record-breaking heatwaves lead to a rising death toll in Paris, France, the global luxury conglomerate LVMH has sparked controversy by constructing a massive artificial waterfall for a fashion show.

According to foreign media reports, including Reuters and the British newspaper The Independent on June 28 (local time), LVMH showcased the Louis Vuitton 2027 Spring/Summer menswear collection by designer and musician Pharrell Williams as part of Paris Fashion Week, which began on June 23.

Louis Vuitton created a flamboyant stage featuring an 8-meter-tall artificial waterfall against a backdrop of a sand-covered runway.

However, the event drew sharp criticism from politicians and citizens alike, as it was held in the courtyard of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, a large residential complex housing 12,000 students, at a time when all of France is suffering from an unprecedented heatwave.

Mélody Tonolli, a deputy mayor of Paris, criticized the event, stating, "In a situation where everyone is enduring a suffocating heatwave, such an ostentatious display can send a very inappropriate message to the public."

A student living in the dormitory expressed their frustration, saying, "Seeing the glamorous waterfall created by Louis Vuitton right next to our poor living conditions and reality makes us feel a profound sense of contradiction."

As the controversy grew, LVMH issued an official statement claiming there was no water waste.

An LVMH spokesperson explained, "All water used for the waterfall was supplied by the city of Paris, brought to the site, and circulated internally without any external leakage before being returned directly to the sewage system."

The company added that the waterfall was operated in compliance with local heatwave regulations and that the sand used for the stage would be donated to the dormitory's beach volleyball court and recycling companies.

Despite these explanations, Reuters reported that public sentiment remains cold.

In France, there has been persistent criticism that luxury brands are commercially exploiting public spaces under the pretext of promoting Paris as the global center of fashion.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.