The prestigious trunk maker that is Louis Vuitton decided to impress us all with a few of their most exquisite creations. The company was the first modern trunk-maker and also the first to design trunks with flat tops, and now they’re celebrating “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez – Louis Vuitton” at the Grand Palais till 21st February 2016.
Curated by Olivier Saillard, this exhibition retraces Louis Vuitton’s incredible history and legacy from 1854 ’till today while also uncovering some of the brand’s most extravagant trunk pieces. Take, for instance, this Tea Case Trunk – which was not meant to store sports gear, hats, silverware, jewelry, wine and such. The tea case in grained leather, a forerunner of Épi leather, was created in 1926 for the Maharajah of Baroda.
Next, exclusively made to house the painting tools of grandfather Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the Watercolor Box trunk looks more like a treasure. Some believe extravagance is in the objects one transports, but I guess a stylish and unique trunk doesn’t really spoil the travel either. A wooden frame covered with coated cotton canvas or leather, protected by brass corners and locks, is nothing but stylish.
Last but not least, a mini version of a cabin trunk has been filled with peonies and roses in a made-to-measure zinc tub. There’s also a DJ box created by Helmut Lang, meant to protect the most fragile and most important objects from the world of music. Even when it comes to trunks, style is not optional; it a requirement of the modern world.
