The prestigious trunk maker, Louis Vuitton, cares to share some of their exquisite creations from their fashion-rich history. Company founder Louis was the first modern trunk-maker and also the first to design trunks with flat top. The French luxury house is celebrating “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez – Louis Vuitton” at the Grand Palais till 21st February 2016. Curated by Olivier Saillard, this exhibition retraces Louis Vuitton’s great journey from 1854 till today, through depictions of the Maison’s founding members and those who create the Louis Vuitton of tomorrow. Founder, Louis Vuitton’s great-great grandson, Patrick-Louis Vuitton uncovers some extraordinarily extravagant pieces fashioned for elite clients in the Asnières workshops.
Tea Case Trunk
While Louis Vuitton’s earliest trunks were designed to store sports gear, hats, silverware, jewelry, wine and more, this Tea Case Trunk stands out for its uniqueness. The tea case in grained leather, a forerunner of Épi leather was created in 1926 for the Maharajah of Baroda, who wanted to take it with him on hunting expeditions. Patrick-Louis Vuitton states that every morning, in his vast palace, a valet would offer to take them out for a ride in a Rolls-Royce, on horseback, or on an elephant!
Watercolor Box
Exclusively made to house the painting tools of his grandfather Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the Watercolor Box, is one of Patrick’s most treasured possessions.
He explains that extravagance is in the objects one transports and adds, ” You can see the simplicity of its design, the principle of a wooden frame covered with coated cotton canvas or leather, protected by brass corners and locks, and carried by a handle. Every type of leather has a precise function.”
Flower Trunk
A mini version of a cabin trunk which Patrick-Louis Vuitton’s grandfather, who represented the third generation of Vuittons, would give to his best customers, is filled with peonies and roses in a made-to-measure zinc tub. Revered more as jewelry than luggage, at least ten flower trunks have been made in the last 20 years and given to a number of beautiful women. When the flowers wilt, the trunk can be transformed into a box for sewing or for cigarettes.
DJ Box
Conceived to protect the most fragile, most difficult objects from the world of music, this DJ box was created by Helmut Lang for the hundredth anniversary of the Monogram canvas. It is ideal for stylish, urban DJs on the go.
