Sandra‘s Closet

Tuesday marked the preview of the Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades booth at Design Miami, where new designer Andrew Kudless presented the Swell Wave, his first Objet Nomade.

Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades is an ever-expanding collection of limited, collectible furniture inspired by the House’s DNA and by reinterpretations of its travel spirit.

Pieces from the collection have been imagined by some of today’s most creative designers: Patricia Urquiola, India Mahdavi, Atelier Oï, Atelier Biagetti, Barber and Osgerby, Fernando and Humberto Campana, Damien Langlois-Meurinne, Raw Edges, Zanellato/Bortotto, Marcel Wanders, Tokujin Yoshioka, Nendo, André Fu, and Andrew Kudless.

Louis Vuitton’s new pieces are presented inside the fair. You can discover the Maison’s savoir-faire until December 8, 2019 at Paradise Plaza, Miami Design District (by appointment only).

LoL, Sandra

Photo credit: Joe Schildhorn/BFA

Louis Vuitton presents the second wave of its leather goods campaign, dedicated to the House’s «New Classics» bags as presented by actresses Alicia Vikander and Léa Seydoux (for the first campaign launch, click here for the previous post). Against the bright blue of a Californian sky, Craig McDean photographs these strong, graceful women and their Louis Vuitton bags.

Alicia Vikander carries the Capucines and Twist designs, while Léa Seydoux opts for the Dauphine and Capucines. The print campaign styled by Marie-Amélie Sauvé will feature in international magazines starting October, alongside a series of short digital films.

LoL, Sandra

Alicia Vicander with the Capucines bag in cream.

My favorite: Alicia Vicander with the Capucines bag in baby blue.

Alicia Vicander with another classic, the Twist bag.

Léa Seydoux and her Capucines choice in black.

Another great choice: Léa Seydoux opts for the Dauphine bag.

© Photographer: Craig McDean
Fashion: Marie-Amélie Sauvé

Even though I might seem stupid for some of you, I must confess that I had no idea what League of Legends is when I received the press release from Louis Vuitton. Therefore let me give you a quick introduction: It is an online multiplayer game and global phenomenon, that since its launch in 2009 has grown to become the most-played PC game in the world and a key driver in the explosive growth of esports.

Every year, Riot Games, the U.S.-based esports organization behind League of Legends, organizes the League of Legends World Championship for the planet’s best players and teams, which this year begins on October 2nd in Berlin for play-ins and group stages, continues in Madrid starting October 26th for the quarterfinals and semi-finals, and culminates with the final in Paris on November 10th.

For the event, Louis Vuitton is creating, in collaboration with Riot, an unprecedented, one-of-a-kind Trophy Travel Case to hold the Summoner’s Cup, the trophy awarded to the world champions and considered the most prestigious prize in esports. The winner also gets millions in cash.
The bespoke trunk, the first of its kind for an esports championship, will feature both some traditional Louis Vuitton savoir-faire along with cutting-edge, high-tech elements inspired by the League of Legends universe.

Louis Vuitton and Riot Games will also soon announce unique champion skins and a capsule collection designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of Women’s collections, along with other League of Legend digital assets.

Personally speaking, I find it impressive that the famed fashion house will design League-themed items for both in the game and in the real world. Fashion is becoming more tightly connected to gaming and e-sports. Who would have ever imagined this?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Vuitton

Inspired by the season’s colorful store windows, Louis Vuitton launches new digital watch faces for the connected Tambour Horizon watch.

Neon and electric, the Monogram flowers and Louis Vuitton initials pop as if glowing in the dark. You can choose from the four new designs to give an entirely new and eye-catching look to your Tambour Horizon Connected Watch.

In addition to the new neon designs, the Tambour Horizon connected watch includes a travel feature with flight, hotel and transportation information, «My 24 hours» with weather, daily agenda and step counter, along with access to LV’s City Guide and exclusive customizable watch faces to truly tailor the timepiece to your own needs.

The «LV Neon» faces can be added to any Tambour Horizon watch through the Play Store now.

LoL, Sandra

Stills: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton, Collages: © Sandra Bauknecht

Besides this season’s zebra pattern trend, you should not miss another black and white animal print as fashionistas can’t get enough of dalmatian prints. When «too much» is never enough, those pieces are giving major Cruella De Vil vibes.

It is a great example how fashion and cinema are linked together. In 2021, Emma Stone will be giving a new twist to the iconic villain as she plays her in the upcoming film «Cruella», showing the Oscar-winning actress as the younger, significantly more punk version of the famous protagonist who is crazy for the black and white dots.

Here’s your first look at Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil in Disney’s Cruella. The film, also starring Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Joel Fry, comes to theaters May 28, 2021.

Below you can find the best dalmtian print pieces available this season. Have fun and get ahead of the fashion trend.

Animal-print cotton-twill trench coat by Burberry

Pussy-bow dalmatian-print silk blouse by Burberry

Dalmatian-print high-rise pleated midi skirt by Burberry

Crystal-embellished animal-print faux fur coat by Miu Miu

Logo and dalmatian print nylon backpack by Burberry

Dalmatian furry cropped blouse by Batsheva

London dalmatian print bag by Manu Atelier

Pre-owned vintage Dalmatian shoulder bag by Louis Vuitton

I am on my way to the Venice Film Festival with Atelier Swarovski. Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, © Disney

Here is the glorious family of bags and luggage, the House’s fascinating icons that carry the whole Louis Vuitton saga with them. They proudly sport the Monogram, the renowned trunk-maker’s seal, a canvas created by Georges Vuitton in 1896 in homage to his father, the founder.

Nicolas Ghesquière has brought it to life in a thousand different ways, taken it to the limit, and crafted it in all the colours of the rainbow! «It’s the House icon to be treated with the utmost respect,» he explains. «It has real graphic purity. And I like giving it other personalities, which renew its desirability.» With Nicolas Ghesquière, it has been switched around for the Monogram Reverse and given oversized expression with the Monogram Giant. Always driven by a love of beauty, it is passed down from generation to generation.

The Monogram Speedy Bandoulière
Created in 1930, the iconic Speedy today features a shoulder strap for even greater freedom of movement around town and wherever you go.

The Monogram Giant Boîte Chapeau Souple
The perfect little city bag with a charming style, reminiscent of elegant and grand travels around the globe.

The Monogram and Monogram Reverse Dauphine Bumbag
A charming version of the Dauphine allowing for freedom of movement.

The Monogram and Monogram Reverse Dauphine
A marvel straight from the seventies, an impeccable House creation that is more up-to-date than ever, playing on all the Monogram’s variations.

The Monogram NéoNoé
A great House classic, initially created in 1932 to hold champagne bottles. Indelibly linked to the pleasures of a gentle stroll and adding a little sparkle to life.

The Monogram Petite Malle
Inspired by photographer Albert Kahn’s trunk, it is already a House icon. The Petite Malle is a timeless classic, now and always.

The Monogram Giant Onthego Tote Bag
The best friend of women who want to keep everything close at hand. It draws admiring glances with the brand new Monogram Giant design.

LoL, Sandra

© Photographer: Craig McDean
Fashion: Marie-Amélie Sauvé

With this new high jewelry collection, LOUIS VUITTON pays tribute to the powerful vision that impelled so many medieval heroines to transcend their limitations and forge their own destiny. These women made a lasting mark on the man’s world they inhabited, shaping their fate. They are the very embodiment of determination and independence, values that reflect the LOUIS VUITTON woman.

In homage to them, the House conjured up a suit of armour made of light, a luminous blaze that expresses the inner radiance of she who wears it. It irradiates outwards in a luminous choreography of glittering gems and diamonds – tens of thousands of them, initially in a line of some fifty designs, to be extended in due course with fifty more pieces.

One jewel foregrounds a beautifully velvety royal blue sapphire weighing 19.31 carats, set against a luminescent mesh woven with some 1,600 diamonds. The Royaume has refined, architectural lines that borrow from design components of a medieval fortress, such as a portcullis, chains, and a drawbridge.

With a shape inspired by the gorget – a special piece of armour designed to protect the throat – the Royaume is remarkable for its exquisitely delicate enamelling and the supple way it drapes against the skin. A richly vibrant royal blue sapphire – the most regal of gemstones – takes centre stage to symbolise the protection of the Kingdom.

Another piece, the Cavalière necklace, showcases spinel, a precious gem that symbolises ardour and courage. Here, it is cut after setting to contrast with diamonds. Spinels are distinctive for their deep red colour, infused with flashes of orange.

This amulet features a central medallion of Lapis Lazuli, polished to an infinitely silky finish that sets off the emerald’s crystalline brilliance and highlights the lapidary’s painstaking work. A carefully crafted complementarity between round – and baguette – cut stones amplifies the play of light, while the intricate delicacy of a bracelet’s settings conceal the promise of love. It took many months to assemble the 70 sapphires and 100 emeralds that combine
to encircle the neck.

The narrative force of this collection gives free rein to design, in a sculptural collection that overturns all frames of reference. With its visual vocabulary of pure lines, chiaroscuro light-play, sensual loops, and rigorous symmetries contrasting with asymmetries, it directs the spotlight firmly at the spectacular gemstones.

On the Reine necklace, nine dazzling aquamarines of a Santa Maria – like blue – combined weight 153 carats – evoke the magnificence of dynastic jewels and sovereign power.

The bezels are handcrafted to precisely fit each of the stones. They feature a unique symbol, sculpted and mounted on a pavé chain set with 24 carats of diamonds. La Reine – the Queen – was a leading figure in Medieval times, and appears in this collection as an independent and determined woman in control of her own destiny.

A wealth of detailing distinguishes this new opus, attesting to such virtuosity as only the most accomplished of jewellers possess. The Riders of the Knights collection achieves an immersive aesthetic drawn from medieval codes of chivalry and heraldic crests.

Each of these figurative pieces – Le Royaume, La Cavalière, La Reine – tells a story where the House’s many creative facets find expression, whether in the architectural simplicity of a fortress, the luminescent transience of intuition, or the protective aura of a talisman.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton

Today’s post is dedicated to the new luxurious drops for the sporty girls – a must for extreme athletes who are into high fashion. These items may be too precious for actual use but can serve as the perfect decor for sport lovers.

Ping Pong Set James Monogram Eclipse Canvas by Louis Vuitton (€1500)

Table tennis, anyone? Ideal for travel, this sporty set includes two professionally designed ping-pong paddles, regulation balls in a custom holder, and an exclusive cover crafted of masculine Monogram Eclipse canvas, accented with an LV Circle medal.

Basketball by CHANEL (€1990)

As part of the accessories of the Métiers d’Art Paris-New York 2018/19 collection, this basketball is available in black with either silver or gold detailing. It comes with the matching harness that’s either detailed with silver or gold hardware on the black leather sling. Let’s start playing basketball…

Skateboard by CHANEL (Price on request, on the US website $7700)

With this, the skateboard has officially become a luxury item. The cruiser-style must-have by CHANEL is crafted from black lacquered wood that is accented with a white interlocking logo. Its underside features an embossed quilting pattern referencing the French house’s signature technique.

Surfboard by CHANEL (Price on request, on the US website $8900)

On the surfboard you can see a standout silver detail on the board which is made from aluminum, glass and polyurethane.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

Only Watch is a biennial charity auction of unique timepieces created by the finest brands for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It will be held in Geneva on November 9, 2019 for the 8th time. 40 million Swiss Francs were raised in the previous 7 editions with 99% of proceeds going directly to research projects of AMM, the Monaco-based association (Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies).

LOUIS VUITTON is taking part for the sixth consecutive time in Only Watch and presents a bold and unique piece: the «Escale Spin Time» watch with a dial inspired by tattoo art, that I don’t want you to miss as it is so beautiful.

Made using Grand Feu champlevé enamelling and painted by hand, the dial is a creation by Anita Porchet, one of the greatest independent enamellers in fine watchmaking. The dial required 200 hours of work and used two specific traditional techniques which are only mastered by very few artisans in Geneva: Grand Feu champlevé enamelling and miniature painting.

The dial is a white gold plaque, recessed by hand and covered with Grand Feu enamel. Three shades of enamel — black, turquoise and transparent — were selected to bring out the floral design. The choice of powders, the repeated layers, as well as the finesse of the grain meant that many hours of meticulous work had to be undertaken before the dial could go through a series of firings at 840°C.

Then came the miniature painting process. During this final stage, around ten colours were applied one after the other using a brush, each one requiring drying time in a furnace heated to 100°C.
The delicate design of the 18-carat white gold hand forms the stem of a rose on this dial, which is set with white diamonds and rubies. To mirror the exquisite beauty of the dial, the bezel, lugs, and 41 mm diameter case crown made of titanium and white gold, are also set with white diamonds.

The Escale Spin Time for Only Watch contains the LV79 caliber, which cleverly displays the time in a playful manner using rotating cylinders. Here, each cylinder is set with diamonds, a process which required 40 hours of work. The patented self-winding movement was entirely developed and assembled by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton and highlights the expertise of Louis Vuitton watchmakers.

The exceptional creation is presented in a custom Monogram canvas watch case — also hand-painted — recalling the floral pattern of the dial. Finally, the watch also comes with four alligator straps — black, red, green and white — and is fitted with an 18-carat white gold ardillon buckle set with diamonds. The 2019 Escale Spin Time for the Only Watch auction is a delicate, technical object; a precious tribute to traditional and exceptional fine watchmaking craftsmanship.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton

For F/W 2019, Louis Vuitton has collaborated with Alex Israel on a textile collection featuring the Los Angeles-based artist’s trademark vibrant pop aesthetic.

Alex Israel in front of his famous Wave paintings.

An original and strikingly modern addition to Alex Israel’s searching exploration of art and branding, the cultural and the commercial, the new eight-piece collection features playful and beautiful scarves, shawls, blankets and a bandeau.

Pink silk square

It begins with a collection of scarves which use Israel’s celebrated Wave paintings as the basis of a radical and remarkable update of the simple, elegant medium of the silk square.
The Wave scarves use a cutting-edge, technically innovative quilting technique. One side of each scarf is padded to recreate Israel’s Wave paintings’ puffy texture, while the reverse features the House’s iconic Monogram pattern.

Israel has designed four colour combinations across three sizes (classic, giant and jumbo- which doubles as a blanket), a new approach to sizing that creates original and modern ways to wear and use the classic square.

Sky Backdrop Monogram shawl in blue

The collection’s Sky Backdrop Monogram shawls are made in a delightfully airy silk and cashmere blend onto which Sky Backdrop paintings, another of Israel’s most recognizable series, are transferred in two different colourways using Louis Vuitton’s state-of-the-art digital printing.

The collection’s final piece, the double-sided, brightly coloured Desperado bandeau, features a ludic desert scene with cacti and cars inspired by the artist’s 2015 bronze sculpture, Desperado, and a Sky Backdrop overprinted with the House’s Monogram.

This new collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Alex Israel – following on from the artist’s recent Arty capucines bag and packaging for Les Colognes Perfumes – is an inventive and playful new chapter in the House’s long history of working with celebrated artists on its textiles range.

Love it so much: Louis Vuitton x Alexis Israel Arty capucine bag

After creative legends including Sol LeWitt, James Rosenquist, Andrée Putman, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Stephen Sprouse and Yayoi Kusama, Israel becomes the latest artist to bring his talents to these «blank canvases».

The Louis Vuitton-Alex Israel textile collection is available in a selected network from now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © LVMH, © Louis Vuitton, © Gagosian
Photographer: Dan Martensen for Louis Vuitton
Fashion: Karla Welch for Louis Vuitton