Yes, it’s Louis Vuitton‘s 200th anniversary and we should all know about it. The luxury behemoth nay be omnipresent in fashion’s upper echelon and beyond, but as any great brand, it always finds a way to gain the limelight. In this case, a glorious show of creativity, collaboration, and history. We’re talking 200 Trunks, 200 Visionairies: The Exhibition, an elaborate celebratory showcase of, yes indeed, 200 imaginative trunks designed by 200 top creatives from across the planet. Starting in August of this year, each trunk initially was documented on video or posters in window displays of Louis Vuitton stores, but they’ve now all been gathered to pay homage to founder Louis Vuitton (1821-1892). So, the show presents 50 x 50 x 100 cm trunks, an emblematic item the luxury brand initially became known for and which was first developed in the 1850s. As said, a large number of leading creatives have decorated a trunk, coming from various disciplines, and includes icons such as Jean-Michel Othoniel, Jean-Philippe Delorme, Nigo and BTS.
Mind you, the trunks have both been actually produced and digitally produced, resulting in a presentation of original art pieces and a ‘magic box’ covered with screen panels. A futuristic robot trunk named Monsieur Louis is also on display. The first floor presents a vivid dream world consisting of a trunk, animation, and an immersive space. Part of the space is a lifestyle area where you can enjoy interview videos and reading. Heading in the direction of the music, you’ll find a hidden entrance leading to a bar-like space. A jukebox-shaped trunk produced by British DJ and producer Benji B is installed there, and you can enjoy the upbeat atmosphere as an extension of the exhibition while listening to the 200 songs flowing from there (on through Jan 6). The exhibition has kicked off in suburban Paris, but will later on travel to a number of leading fashion capitals, including New York (next February), London and Tokyo. And the final point of the tour is a Sotheby’s auction in December of next year where all proceeds will go to a scholarship programme established by Louis Vuitton.
Images © Louis Vuitton