Louis Vuitton The Art of the Journey arrives at Bond Street
Dear LVMH, please can you slow it down with the store openings, exhibitions, out-of-the-way fashion shows and, well, everything else? I’m breathlessly trying to keep up. Next week is the Dior Cruise show and the long awaited re-opening of its Bond street flagship, this week was Cannes, Vuitton Cruise and a rather excellent exhibition opening in the LV Bond Street Maison.
Louis Vuitton’s The Art of the Journey is a must-see if you love product design innovation. It spans the entire store, with exhibits starting in the usually-only-for-VIPs top floor private apartment and working their way down.
Here you’ll find the Brothers Campana egg-shaped Cocoon chair produced in fiberglass and rich red calfskin (below), as well as a version of Mr Vuitton’s original fold-up bed design, the astonishing origami-like folding stool by Atelier Oï (in lush tan leather), plus the equally mind-blowing Concertina chair and table by Raw Edges (flower-like designs whose ‘petals’ fold flat, above).
Everything is transportable as per the theme of the exhibition, which, of course, nods to the travel-centric origins of the brand. Louis Vuitton started life as a packer and his expertise at packing trunks for the 19th century jet set led him to creating his own luggage line as well as all manner of objects made for easy transportation.
Alongside the contemporary design classics realised for Vuitton’s Objets Nomades project by the world’s best known product designers, there are archive objects and bespoke pieces to tickle your fancy, should you be lucky enough to afford this luxury service.
From a travelling casino, to a picnic set for the caviar connoisseur, to darling portable writing trunks (find them in the bookshop), there’s everything here to let you dream. My highlight? The Marcel Wanders folding Lounge Chair in cherry red leather on the ground floor. A modular, multi-use chaise, the whole thing dissembles easily, packs into itself and straps neatly together. Pop it in your car boot for your next adventure and whip it out when the urge strikes you to have an impromptu lie down. Oh, the endless possibilities of Louis’s little luxuries…
Louis Vuitton The Art of the Journey is at 17-20 New Bond Street, W1 until 19th June and is open to the public Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl/Navaz Batliwalla
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29 May, 2016 @ 4:54 pm
Gotta visit it x