'Tis the season for traveling

For spring/summer ’09, Louis Vuitton offers much more than the intricately embellished runway pieces envisioned by artistic director Marc Jacobs.

’Tis the season for traveling, with Paname flight bags referencing ’70s air hostesses. These come in softly structured shapes, rendered in beige and primary colors of red, blue and yellow.

A long wallet, passport case, reporter bag, and a long rectangular zippered bag are boldly emblazoned with the Louis Vuitton stamp in gold.   

Those who love bright colors will go for the candy-colored Alma bags and carry-on bags in vernis, while those opting for subtlety would appreciate the new Damier Azure zippered bag featuring two side pockets.

For evening, the new African Queen clutch comes in burnished gold and bronze glitter leather with the Stephen Sprouse leopard print, while a lurex theme offers an outsized Monogram jacquard clutch in gold or purple.

These clutches are cinched with a beaded passementerie cord.

In contrast, Louis Vuitton’s men’s collection, inspired by Charlie Chaplin and vintage film posters, features a more subdued color palette.

Shades of papier mâché, taupe and off-black were rendered in supple and subtly grained Naxos calf leather in three key shapes: a large cabas, a doctor’s bag, and a messenger.

Just like the menswear, designed by studio director Paul Helbers, the bags feature minimal embellishments, save for double zippers on the cabas and doctor’s bags — but on the inside, all pieces are lined with Louis Vuitton’s new Damier Graphite canvas.

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Louis Vuitton is available at the LV boutique in Greenbelt 4, Makati, tel. 756-0637.