MANILA, Philippines ? Outside the Ritz Carlton Sanya, China, everything was drenched in rain, but inside the swanky villa of this newly opened luxe resort hotel, rays of sunshine glinted here and there from Louis Vuitton?s 2010 Cruise Collection. The line celebrated the art of stylish travel the brand has championed since 1854.

For this line inspired by the ?French coquette,? Marc Jacobs envisioned a leggy woman in towering sequined open boots frolicking by the French Riviera, or setting off on a cruise in a striped nautical uniform, polka-dot micro-mini skirt, with an overly huge nylon canvas rope bag as accessory. It could also be a woman reveling in an urban safari escapade in a neo-camouflage (faux animal print) micro-proportion ensemble.

?The collection plays around the theme of women traveling and who are always on the go,? said Pamela Picazo, Louis Vuittons?s communications coordinator in the Philippines.

?Everything about this collection is short! It is about the women who can show off their legs,? said Picazo.

At the launch, models were decked out in fearlessly short and voluminous ?skater skirts? made of rich fabrics in pleated nautical stripes, printed ikat prints mixed with tulle.

On the clothes racks were micro-shorts in shiny denim and crisp sailor white. Another skirt was made of tulle over ivory taffeta and heavily hand-sewn with rosettes. A pair of blue-black tweed micro-shorts was paired with a tiny jacket, coincidentally reinventing the classic suit uniform.

Indeed, these are the clothes you can fit in your suitcase and still look fashionably chic.

Lively colors

Colors were certainly lively, inspired by the land which has 300 days of sunshine and host to 50 percent of the world?s yacht fleet, the French Riviera. Its alluring ?bright colors and clear light,? as often described by novelists and painters like Picasso and Matisse, became the palette for LV?s Cruise Collection?warm sunny yellows, shimmering golds, cool navy and blues.

The details and accessories equally added cheer. Bows were all over?on bustier dresses, on a sexy tuxedo jacket that reveals bare skin through a very sexy slit at the back and tied with a big bow, on shoes and bags.

Signature details included gold buttons and gold clasps with the LV insignia; spaghetti buttons treated to feel almost like rubber; lacquer bangles trimmed with rope, as well as belts and gigantic chain-like necklaces.

Blossoming rosettes made of the softest leather delicately adorned gladiator sandals, platforms and towering high-heels. Who would have thought that loose-fit dresses and tops could be artfully fastened with golden brooch and could become an instant standout? Also, a safari-inspired suede dress had the traditional LV monogram embossed all over the fabric.

Highlight

Another interesting highlight of the collection was the Monogram Bulles, a body-hugging bag in bubble-textured navy or beige nylon, printed with the monogram motif and adorned with a rope and a leather handle?further nods to the nautical inspiration.

?It has a bit of LV logo shadow detail effect taken from the Fall/Winter collection,? said Picazo. The monogram was said to have been printed twice to achieve that painterly, double effect.

The 2010 Cruise Collection also highlighted the new Epi bag. The line is called ?Electric? because of its black patent finish with a brilliant shine. It comes in the traditional bag silhouette and an envelope-like clutch.

?Big clutches are very big next year. You can take out the strap if you wish. This envelope touch is edgier, dynamic and has a younger feel to it,? said Picazo.

If you are looking for an evening bag, consider the sequined evening pouch for Christmas. The sequin has been treated to make it very soft and non-abrasive. Amazingly, each sequin has been stamped with the signature LV logo.

Classic pieces for the Monogram Vernis come in new colors, including pistachio, pale pink and silver. Gorgeous matching sandals and coin purses are available, inspired by wooden animal toys that Louis Vuitton played with in the 1910s.

Men?s collection

The men?s collection for Spring/Summer 2010 was ?inspired by the ?American spirit,? so you?ll see a lot of textures and prints. Everything is functional, lightweight and easy to pack,? said Picazo.

Included are reversible pieces, plus a reworked Damier checkered print on raincoats, parkas and scarves.

?We play with a lot of different tones and different colors. In the collections, you?ll see a lot of cargo pants, sport coats and varsity collegiate jackets which all can be mixed and matched for any occasion,? said LV?s merchandising manager Michael Tangney.

?Taking the suit and wearing the jacket with jeans is one look. For the next day, just take them apart and pair the top with cargo pants.?

LV also pushed for a new way of wearing trousers: Fold them, roll them or crunch them up, just like the bicycle courier?s way.

?In all our stores, we want to make sure that everything is folded up; it makes it look more different,? said Tangney.

Louis Vuitton is located at G/F, Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, Makati Ave., Makati City; tel. no. (632) 756-0637.

Quick look

Theme: French Riviera, Safari

Silhouettes: Short hemlines topped with cocooning jackets or sporty hooded parkas

Patterns: Stripes mixed with polka dots, neo-camouflage, ikat prints, eyelets

Colors: Yellows, golds, navy blues, camel, beige, neutrals,

Accessories: Rope, golds, clutch bags, big slouchy hobo bags, towering high heels with rosette details, sequin open-toe slouchy boots

Key pieces: Wide leg trousers, hooded parkas, striped knitwear, micro-mini skater skirts, tweed shorts, tuxedo jackets, denim shorts

Style tricks:
1. ?Play with texture. It is nice to mix and match signature pieces with basics. For instance, a white tank can be paired with a voluminous skirt. Or a tuxedo jacket can be paired with your fave denims.? -Pamela Picazo
2. ?Use navy blue as an alternative to your black ensemble. Next year, it?s all about navy blues,? -Michael Tangney
3. ?Roll up your pants, fold them and let loose. This will give your pants a new life.?
-Michael Tangney
4. Big, bold accessories. Try a huge chunky gold chain neck piece or lacquer bangles with rope trimmings.
5. Sport a really edgy sequined slouchy open-toed boots and pair with ultra minis and micro-dresses.
6. Look for narrow pants, or sport ?treggings? (trouser-leggings) and pair with a volume top cinched on the waist to highlight your figure.