The 4th of August this year marks the 200th birthday of one of fashion’s earliest visionary, Louis Vuitton. He left the small town of Jura in France at the age of 14 to chase his designing dreams in Paris. Coming from a lineage of skilled artisans, he was quick to earn an apprenticeship with a trunk maker and packer. Soon After, Louis learned the ropes of the job, moved up the ladder and became a renowned craftsman. Putting his skills to utmost use, he launched his eponymous label in 1854 and laid the foundation of the revolutionary fashion house we know today.
One of the earliest Louis Vuitton stores
He started with the transformation of the luggage trunk, then steadily moved onto shaking up the bag industry and finally taking the fashion world by storm. Today, on his bicentennial birthday, the brand is paying homage to its master by commemorating his legacy with a host of innovative launches.
1. Video Game
Louis Vuitton’s new video game
As a way of introducing him to the younger audience, the label has officially forayed into the world of video games. It has an infusion of art, fashion, and entertainment. The central character voyages across Paris, London, Beijing, Tokyo, and New York, collecting candles that provide information on Louis’ body of work and storing them in the monogrammed trunk. The game can be downloaded from the play store and app store starting today.
2. Iconic Trunk Showcase
Redesigned trunk at a Louis Vuitton store window
As a part of the celebration, the signature Louis Vuitton trunks were revamped by 200 artists, which included designer Marc Jacobs, rapper Drake, and journalist Gloria Steinem. The influential personalities were given the trunks as a blank canvas, and the final products will be showcased across store windows.
3. A Large-Scale Triptych
Portrait by Alex Katz
On this special occasion, the founder was painted by popular American artist Alex Katz and the painting will be revealed in Fall. Before this, Katz has also created a portrait of the Maison for Louis Vuitton’s exhibition in Beverly Hills.
4. A Fictional Novel
A fictional novel on Louis Vuitton
A novel, Louis Vuitton, L’Audacieux, has been penned down by French writer Caroline Bongrand narrating his illustrious journey. It will be published by Gallimard and will be available in French and English from October.
5. A Documentary
Portrait of Louis Vuitton
Titled Looking for Louis, the documentary traces his journey from the beginning. It captured his trajectory from the humble days to the ultimate rise. The informative piece of cinema will be streaming on Apple TV in December.
