Heritage

Louis Vuitton has designed a unique case to carry the coveted Webb Ellis Cup, rugby’s greatest prize, which has been presented to New Zealand, the 2015 World Champions, at the Final at Twickenham on October 31st.

Rugby legend John Eales (Australian player, captain of the World Champion team in 1999) and Tao Okamoto (Japanese model and actress) brought the Louis Vuitton case carrying the Webb Ellis Cup into position for the Finalist teams’ entrance, before the start of the final.

The next Rugby World Cup in 2019 will be held, for the first time, in Japan…

The windows of Louis Vuitton’s storefronts are magnetic. They draw crowds of adults and children alike, eyes wide in wonder at such spectacles as a colossal roller coaster, gleaming golden dinosaur, panoply of brightly coloured hot-air balloons, or a universe of polka dots.

With an oeuvre of over thirty-five displays, creators Faye McLeod and Ansel Thompson bring the windows of one of the world’s leading luxury brands to life with their unparalleled magic.

Featuring an introduction by The New York Times fashion director and critic Vanessa Friedman, these celebrated vitrines are presented as works of art in this hand-bound oversize Ultimate Collection edition, capturing the inspired world that is Louis Vuitton.

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.

"Louis Vuitton has always been at the avant-garde of creation. More than a century after, if Louis Vuitton remains at the helm of fashion, it's because we continuously inspire ourselves from the past while anticipating trends of our times. For this exhibition, Olivier Saillard has immersed himself in the archives of our Maison to decode its secrets. He delivers a fresh vision of our past, present and future." says Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton.

The Grand Palais was constructed in 1900 during one of the most spectacular Universal Exhibitions in Paris which welcomed 48 million visitors. At this turning point of the century, George Vuitton was in charge of organizing the whole section of "Travel & Leather goods". The Louis Vuitton booth, surprisingly in shape of a merry-go-round, presented the Maison's most innovative luggage and elegant bags and was the centre of attention.

Louis Vuitton is proud to support Rugby World Cup 2015, starting on September 18th, in London’s Twickenham stadium. The special order case will appear on October 31st, the day of the final, which will mark Louis Vuitton’s debut in the world of Rugby.

The special order for Rugby World Cup perpetuates Louis Vuitton's long tradition of creating elegant and ingenious cases for travellers to transport their most precious belongings.

Handmade in Louis Vuitton's historic Asnières workshop near Paris, the case has been meticulously designed to accommodate the celebrated Trophy, which will be presented to the winning captain at the Final on October 31st. Covered in Louis Vuitton's iconic Monogram canvas, the travel case is fitted with the company's signature brass lock and corners.

The workshop also crafted the trunk that holds the world's oldest sporting trophy, the famous silver ewer of the America's Cup, which dates back to 1851. More recently, Louis Vuitton specially designed the trophy case for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Trophy.

Barely five years after founding his House, Louis Vuitton began to outgrow his Parisian headquarters. In 1859, he relocated the new workshops to Asnières, a village a few kilometres northwest of Paris.

These new ateliers were built in the ethereal Eiffel style, combining glass and steel. The exceptional savoir-faire of the Asnières artisans is such that, even today, key pieces are created here: rigid trunks, designs in rare or exotic leathers, special orders.

Revealing the intimate aspects of Louis Vuitton’s history, highlighting its ties with the ateliers, underlining the presence of the Louis Vuitton universe… These were some of the challenges that curator Judith Clark sought to tackle in the new creative, playful and timeless space she so vividly imagined.

View more on the Asnières atelier and its Galerie here