While that was in the works, a Tu-16 deployed ChinaвЂ™s first air-dropped atomic bomb in 1965.Д«y the 1970s, the PLAAF understood that strategic bombers were unlikely to get close enough to a modern adversary to drop bombs on top of them, and began looking for ways to extend the H-6вЂ™s reach. Beijing was fortunate to receive the Tu-16 productions kits when it did, as relations with the Soviet Union almost entirely collapsed a few years later and it took a while for the Chinese-made production line to get off the ground. China received a few Tu-16s from Russia in 1958вЂ“59 and struck a licensed production agreement with Moscow. The H-6 is a Chinese copy of the Tupolev Tu-16 Badger, the Soviet UnionвЂ™s first jet-powered strategic bomber. Unlike ChinaвЂ™s newer warplanes, the cruise-missile toting bomber has actually been tested in battle. Up to 180 H-6s have been produced over the years, the majority of which continue to serve in the PeopleвЂ™s Liberation Air Force (PLAAF) and Naval Air Force. Like the American B-52 or Russian Tu-95 Bear currently in service, the H-6 dates back to the early 1950s. See the standout looks from the Louis Vuitton menвЂ™s fall/winter 2022 spin-off show below.China, Russia and the United States are the only countries to operate long-range strategic bombers in significant numbers. From padded iterations of the houseвЂ™s Keepall bag to the bouquets of paper flowers, crystal-encrusted ear cuffs, paint buckets and printed balaclavas, each piece was as reality-bending as the last. This alternate playfulness trickled into the collectionвЂ™s accessories, too. Dreamscape-like elements were injected through pieces such as a plush tie-dye hoodie and skirt, oversized coats-featuring a painting by Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico-as well kite-like wings on a range of all-white looks. Traditional suiting was offset by playful caps, all-black ensembles were draped in crystal-reminiscent netting and arguably the collectionвЂ™s most recognisable look-a teal, purple and white windbreaker set brought together by a matching cap, billowing trousers and a purple paint can-hit the theme home. And as per the first time, each look was a subversion: of masculine and feminine, tailored and relaxed, muted and colourful and yet most poignantly, past and present. While the collection debuted nine new looks-a checkered red-and-blue pairing of a shirt and bomber jacket, a denim iteration of the same design as well as a monogram-embossed bomber jacket, to name a few-AblohвЂ™s cornerstones from the line-upвЂ™s first showing in Paris in January held fort.

Nestled in the centre of the showspace was an upside down house, which seemed to dissipate into the background as the night went on. This was explored firstly through symbolic set design-from the slow orbiting of an iridescent sphere to the techni-coloured show invites. вЂњThe legacy of the MenвЂ™s Artistic Director is founded in arcs: the coming-of-age premise, the global perspective, and the cycle of creativity,вЂќ shares Louis VuittonвЂ™s press notes. Titled Louis DreamhouseВІ, the runway show took cues from the idea of circular creativity. He passed away in November of last year-but his vision as MenвЂ™s Artistic Director has left an unwavering impact. Under my artistic direction, I see my Louis Vuitton menвЂ™s collections as my platform of nuance,вЂќ Abloh shared in his manifesto. вЂњAs I restart my engines at Louis Vuitton and take off for a future of new possibility, I look back at my port of departure. Pandemic-striken trepidation and the long-awaited return of runways aside, Louis VuittonвЂ™s menвЂ™s fall/winter 2022 spin-off show-which follows an equally memorable spring/summer womenswear iteration hosted in Singapore in March of last year-was Virgil AblohвЂ™s last collection for the maison. In attendance were stars such as Park Bo Gum, Mario Maurer and Sunny Suwanmethanont. Hosted on the eighth floor of luxury shopping destination, Iconsiam, the show was graced by an audience of over 800. The evening of the cityвЂ™s highly-anticipated Louis Vuitton menвЂ™s fall/winter 2022 spin-off show was now here and celebrities, press and personalities from all corners of the globe were making their way across the Chao Phraya River by ferry. As the clocks swayed from the end of May to 1 June, the skies of Bangkok, Thailand glimmered a little brighter.

Chinese bomber cat