When Louis Vuitton’s opened its newest maison at New Bond Street in London last May, it featured an exhibition devoted to Louis Vuitton ready-to-wear designs by Marc Jacobs.
Curated by stylist and editor Katie Grand, the exhibition brought together emblematic pieces of Vuitton’s ready-to-wear pieces created by Marc Jacobs over the last 13 years.
Named by The Daily Telegraph as “one of the most powerful stylists in the world”, Katie Grand dressed up specially monogrammed mannequins photographed by David Hughes.
The photographs are part of a commemorative hardcover book titled, Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture.
Grand is the editor of LOVE, a bi-annual fashion magazine she launched herself.
If you’re a true fan and follower of Louis Vuitton, you’ll recognize iconic pieces from collaborations with the late graffiti artist Stephen Sprouse in 2001 and 2009, plus multi-disciplinary artist Julie Verhoeven in 2002.
Louis Vuitton’s Tribute Patchwork Bag is also photographed with a golden swimsuit and heels. Patched together from cut-up pieces of Louis Vuitton bags, the Tribute bag is one of the most expensive ever sold at $45,000.
Best of all, the exhibit pays tribute to Marc Jacobs’ successful partnership as creative director of the luxury house since 1997.
Jacobs’ vision modernized Louis Vuitton through collaborations with other artists Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince, designer Rei Kawakubo, director Sofia Coppola and even rapper Kanye West.
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Situated at the junction of New Bond Street and Clifford Street, architect Peter Marino called the new maison, “the most luxurious Louis Vuitton store to date.”
It showcases a special installation of vintage trunks suspended in the air, followed by a trunk wall displaying pieces from the current collection.
The ground floor features a full range of accessories, including areas for precious and rare items such as “exceptional bags” — or precious and embellished styles in exotic skins.
Men’s and Women’s watches are found each in their own secluded corners, while at a nearby private viewing room are Louis Vuitton’s first High Jewellery collection, “L’Ame du Voyage,” designed by Lorenz Bäumer.
A bag bar displays iconic bags in chrome-framed boxes. An area is devoted to scarves. And Louis Vuitton’s sunglass collection has its own cylindrical area.
An LED glass staircase leads down to the men’s universe of bags, scarves, and the full range of men’s ready-to-wear and shoes.
The first floor houses three areas of the latest ready-to-wear pieces and two areas with shoes, including evening shoes in precious skins to match the minaudière evening bags.
To the side is the Librairie or bookstore, which has the best of British contemporary art books, as well as specially commissioned pieces by a selection of prominent British artists.