Trunk Triumph: Louis Vuitton Launches “200 Trunks 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition” In Los Angeles

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

THE LOUIS VUITTON TRUNK CONTINUES TO WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME. AS PART OF THE ONGOING CELEBRATION OF LOUIS VUITTON’S BICENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY AND THE INFINITE CREATIVE BOUNDARIES OF THE TRUNK, THE BRAND IS LAUNCHING A NEW EXHIBITION IN LOS ANGELES TITLED “200 TRUNKS, 200 VISIONARIES: THE EXHIBITION.”

BY ADRIENNE FAUROTE

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton knows how to throw a birthday party. The maison has embarked on a yearlong 200th birthday celebration, paying tribute to the man who started it all. One crucial element of the milestone is Louis Vuitton’s own reflection on the one object that catapulted his career: the trunk. Perhaps the most emblematic entity of the maison, the trunk represents the history of the brand — in fact, Vuitton spent 17 years perfecting the intricacies of specialized trunks before he invented the “art of travel” through carrying luggage, bags, and accessories that were as elegant as they were practical. Yet, the trunk also symbolizes the future of the brand and the endless design possibilities that remain untouched.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

To honor the legacy of the trunk, Vuitton tapped 200 friends of the brand — from philosophers, artists, scientists, astronauts, and astrologists to creators, designers, and writers — to interpret the trunk through their perspectives. Each visionary was given a box, measuring close to the dimensions of the original trunk that Louis developed in the 1850s (50x50x100 cm), with the unfettered freedom to design with whatever medium they chose, ultimately creating a dynamic exhibition. Following the numerical theme, the “200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition” presents the trunks together, revealing the magic of the concept and further drawing attention to Vuitton’s bicentennial.

Ahead, Haute Living gives an inside look at select trunks featured in the upcoming exhibition.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

“200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition” will make its way to Los Angeles this summer from July 29 to September 6 as the only U.S. destination. And at the end of the year, the trunks will be auctioned by Sotheby’s, with proceeds set to benefit an organization that promotes creative education.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton“Imagine having a conversation with not just one visionary, but 200. We have never done windows like this before. There’s an exceptional energy that emanates from them — this constant flow of creativity. People will really sense the feeling of celebration.” — Faye McLeod, visual image director for Louis Vuitton

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

“This project has always been about creativity — a real tribute to Vuitton’s ingenuity and enterprising spirit. We get to see how such a cross-section of talents answered the same brief while also taking a moment to appreciate the man himself.” —McLeod

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

As a further testament to the many facets of the trunk, Louis Vuitton recently launched a new book published by Assouline: Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunks. The book delves deep into the three decades of Victory Travel as Louis Vuitton has been the lead trophy designer for some of the world’s most epic races, from the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix and the NBA to the FIFA World Cup.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton and Assouline, Photographer Michael Hauptman