Sandra‘s Closet

Louis Vuitton will showcase its Cruise 2025 fashion show in Barcelona on the 23rd of May 2024, one of its multiple collaborative actions with the Catalan capital. These actions notably involve the organisation of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona, including the Louis Vuitton Cup qualifying session, to begin in summer 2024.

Steeped in tradition and innovation – with the «Art of Travel» at its core – Louis Vuitton has staged shows across the globe at world-renowned locations and landmarks of architectural significance, paying homage to art and local culture. Previously, the Maison has held its Cruise shows at venues including John Lautner’s Bob & Dolores Hope Estate in Palm Springs, Oscar Niemeyer’s Contemporary Art Museum in Niterói, I.M. Pei’s Miho Museum near Kyoto, the Salk Institute in California, and Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore among others.

The upcoming Cruise Fashion Show will take place in a location in Barcelona to be revealed at a later date.

Louis Vuitton’s store on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona

The Maison’s latest stop in the Catalan capital brings guests and viewers to a major cultural centre and tourist destination. Nestled on the border of the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and dynamic destinations in Europe.

«It is an immense pleasure to collaborate with the city of Barcelona sharing common values with Louis Vuitton that are deeply anchored into a remarkable heritage and the passion for creativity. The upcoming Cruise fashion show, encapsulating Women’s Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquière’s vision for the collection, as well as the upcoming Louis Vuitton Cup and the 37th America’s Cup will undoubtfully capture Louis Vuitton’s long-standing relationship with Barcelona and the Catalan region in the most ultimate way.» says Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton Cruise 2023 Collection at the Salk Institute

Along with the show, Louis Vuitton will also celebrate the LV Cup and the 37th edition of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona with multiple events such as hospitality, an exhibition, and cultural activations with guests from around the world. Additionally, Louis Vuitton will launch its much-anticipated City Guide for Barcelona alongside a cultural pop-up kiosk and event. Barcelona and Louis Vuitton are also working on educational programmes to support creativity and design in the city. Louis Vuitton’s relationship with Barcelona dates back from the beginning of the 20th century as the Maison played an active role at the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition, bringing together industry, art, and innovation.

For its third Cruise collection presentation, Louis Vuitton traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2017.

Georges Vuitton (Louis Vuitton’s son) was a member of the jury and was also awarded a grand prize for his toiletry cases. Louis Vuitton opened its first store in Spain in the city of Barcelona in 1987 and now has two stores in the Catalan capital. Louis Vuitton’s footprint extends to the Catalonia region, well-known for its great leather savoir-faire tradition, where the Maison opened its first workshop in 1990 and now operates six leather goods workshops in Catalunya employing over 1800 people.

I am very excited for this show.

LoL, Sandra

A look from Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2024 show at Isola Bella.

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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My apartment in London is just across from one of my favorite hotels in the city, the Claridge’s Hotel. Each year, the hotel collaborates with a fashion house to decorate their Christmas Tree. This year’s installation by Louis Vuitton brings together two illustrious names who have long celebrated the Art of Travel, and crossed paths throughout their respective histories after both being founded in 1854.

This magnificent sculptural creation is immersed within two large open, emblematic wardrobe trunks towering on top of each other at the height of 5.2 metres. Each signature trunk is adorned with Claridge’s travel stickers of yesteryear and an oversized Louis Vuitton luggage tag.

Exuding a festive charm, the tree is composed of 15 vertically placed chrome trunks of varying heights that tower to create the silhouette of a traditional Christmas tree. Scattered atop the silver trunks and amidst the snowy landscape of the tree are 21 Louis Vuitton Vivienne mascots, all found within the hotel’s distinguished black and white marbled lobby.

The hotel’s Louis Vuitton trunk envelopes the magical Claridge’s Christmas Tree, just as the Maison’s iconic Malle Vestiaire or «Wardrobe Trunk», a hard-sided case created in 1875, was dedicated to transporting one’s most personal and precious effects.

«What an honour it is to welcome such a legendary house as Louis Vuitton to design our Claridge’s Christmas Tree this year. Christmas is the most magical time of year for us here at the hotel and we look forward to welcoming guests and seeing visitors immerse themselves in Louis Vuitton’s world.» – Claridge’s General Manager Paul Jackson

With my Louis Vuitton outfit, I couldn’t have blended in better … all details coming up shortly.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht 
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The trunk table clock is the latest addition to today’s objects of desire. The perfect combination
of the art of travel, close to Louis Vuitton’s heart, and watchmaking craftmanship. Rather than just an accessory, a timepiece showcased in its tailor-made trunk.

The table clock, made to the same high standards as a watch, reproduces the Tambour Moon Dual Time concave dial and makes the perfect gift for a watch-loving connoisseur.

Similarly, it features a double time-zone, essential for globetrotters, and a bright dial displaying coloured flags. These emblematic Louis Vuitton symbols call to mind the customised patterns of the trunks of bygone days. As for the 80 mm-diameter hemispheric steel case suspended in its trunk, it draws inspiration from 18th century navy chronometers – indispensable, high-precision tools for long-distance navigators, allowing them to calculate longitude. A counterweight makes this table clock automatically turn towards the person opening the trunk for the utmost visibility. Once extracted from its case, it will keep this orientation when placed on a table or desk.

The trunk, a travel icon since the House was founded in 1854, acts as a case. Covered in Monogram Eclipse canvas on the outside, the trunk’s interior is lined in microfibre, reproducing the flags on the dial and the Louis Vuitton signature. With its symbolic trunk, the Trunk Table Clock sits perfectly in tune with Louis Vuitton’s heritage and further celebrates the exceptional Art of Travel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton / ©Philippe Lacombe

The «Louis Vuitton New Wave» collection heralds a new attitude, taking inspiration from the musical genre of the same name to revisit the joyful, colourful spirit of the Eighties in an unexpected way.

This collection is rooted in the art of travel that sealed the House’s reputation as soon as 
it was founded in 1854. In particular, one trunk was decorated with a graphic, multicoloured motif that undulated like a wave. From this historical detail comes the subtle quilted design of the «Louis Vuitton New Wave» line. To make these bags the ideal everyday companion, like a favorite leather jacket you never leave home without, the house chose to create each style in exceptionally soft, supple lambskin.

Available in store starting July 7th.
Freesia and Emerald colours available starting September.

I am so in love with the embellished or denim version. One of those will definitely be on my shopping list!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Now, more than ever, gifting is considered an art. To celebrate the holiday season, the Art of Gifting collection that debuted in early 2017 has expanded with new offerings. Sharing emotions, that is something that is deeply rooted in the Maison Louis Vuitton’s attention to excellence.

Louis Vuitton’s first store in 1854.

In 1854, Louis Vuitton founded his namesake House as an emballeur, or trunk packer. The most elegant ladies of the day flocked to his store right by the legendary Place Vendôme to entrust him with their jewels, hats and sumptuous dresses.

A remake of the original Louis Vuitton Pateki brainteaser

Renowned for its innovative trunks, the Art of Packing specialist soon began creating delightful talismans, such as the Pateki brainteaser invented by Gaston Louis Vuitton, the grandson of the House’s founder.

Starting in the 1920s, the pleasure of offering gifts became an art de vivre in its own right, and was illustrated in works such as «Gift-giving, the proper guide to choosing and offering a present for New Year’s, the holidays, birthdays and all circumstances in which one wishes to be kind to those one loves.»

In 2017, the Gifting collection presents a trio of themes that extends the art of generosity with gift ideas for intimate and grand occasions alike. Ideal for year-end festivities, these presents enhance the joys of the season and highlight the unique excellence of Louis Vuitton’s workshops.

Plexiglass box «Scott»

Decorative objects distill the iconic codes of Louis Vuitton to all areas of the home. Like a smaller-scale, nested iteration of Louis Vuitton’s trunks, the «Scott» keepsake box lives up to its heritage and spiritedly blends the modernity of Plexiglas with the sensuality of natural cowhide leather.

Valet trays «Georges»

In the living room, assorted photo frames naturally find a place next to «Georges», a valet tray named after the creator of the Monogram canvas. To combine chic and practicality, three formats come in either Epi leather or natural cowhide leather.

Christmas tree baubles

There are even Christmas ornaments for decorating the tree with Monogram flowers in leather, where canvas and silk embellish the traditional fir with a luxurious iconic touch.

Notebooks

Celebrated by Louis Vuitton, writing, an essential part of the Art of Travel, fires the imagination more than ever. Personnal notebooks, the stalwart companions of traveling writers and the repository for ideas big and small, take on the sheen of precious metals, in gold or silver. Two diary formats in Epi leather join a lineup of colourful or printed notebooks, pencil cases, bookmarks, desk blotters and pencil holders in Monogram Canvas and House leathers.

Teddy bear «Louis» and truck «Tiki»

Gaston Louis Vuitton, the grandson of the House’s founder, was renowned for creating his own parlour games and for his collection of beautiful wooden toys. To this day, a playful spirit influences House creations, such as the «Louis», a patchwork teddy bear, or the build-it-yourself «Titi» truck in Monogram canvas and leather. Travel-friendly objects bring an air of playfulness wherever they alight, from playing cards and signed sets of dice to glasses cases in Monogram canvas and cowhide leather brightened with a touch of bright red or navy blue.

Jumping ropes and ping-pong set

Sports accessories likewise get into the spirit of the season: with a skipping rope in Monogram Eclipse canvas and a matching ping-pong set, the art of movement takes a cue from the Art of Travel.

Objects from the «Gifting» collection will be available starting in November 2017 in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton