When my daughter Channing agreed to be my plus one to the Laura Geller Holiday Soiree celebrating 25 years of beauty at the Laduree Soho, we secured timed tickets for the Louis Vuitton exhibit in Barney’s reimagined building—and booked dinner reservations at Fred’s on the ninth floor.
This milestone LV display commemorates the 200th birthday of Louis Vuitton’s founder, born August 2, 1821. The landmark building, painted with vibrant stripes of mostly primary colors, houses a diverse array of reimagined trunks.
New York represents the grand finale of the traveling trunk exhibition. The presentation debuted in the commune of Asnières-Sur-Seine, France, at the Louis Vuitton family compound, then in Singapore and Los Angeles. In some rooms, you can see the shipping crates used to display the custom trunks.
The game changer came in 1854 when Louie introduced his travel essentials, which “securely pack the most fragile objects. Specializing in packing fashions.” That same year, Mr. Vuittion revolutionized the then-popular style of flat-topped trunks. His new and improved waterproof canvas made the product lightweight, airtight, perfect for long voyages, and more easily transported.
Vuitton’s innovation set the brand apart with its iconic fabrics and craftsmanship. How? First, a red stripe canvas in the 1870s. Then, Damier created a graphic that checks the motif in 1888. Finally, under his son George, the legendary monogram was in 1896.
The Universal Exhibition (World’s Fair) of 1867 in Paris was the impressive debut of Vuitton’s trunk-making achievements. Don’t you wonder what the LV presentation looked like? An early branding moment, perhaps?
Derrick O. Boateng African-Inspired LV Trunk #174. “We are using color and art to tell the African story of unity. The theme for my trunk comes from a popular African proverb ‘two heads are better than one.”
Derrick Boateng, a former professional football player and now a fine art photographer from Ghana, shared his vision with African images on the trunks he captured from his photography.
As Louis Vuitton’s Creative Director in 2001, Marc Jacobs invited fashion designer and artist Stephen Sprouse (1953-2005) to collaborate on the Spring/Summer collection. The Sprouse graffiti bags were an instant sell-out. The bubble-gum pink room with graffiti trunk pays homage to Sprouse, who died of lung cancer in 2005.
Robert Moy’s Brooklyn Balloon Company caught my attention with a trunk on display in a room engulfed in balloons. According to the scannable QR code assigned to Mr. Moy’s case, he ordinarily transforms balloons into sculptures through impeccable craftsmanship from his Brooklyn location.
How about French pilot Franky Zapata, who created the first flying trunk using the technology in his other patented products? Look closely, and you’ll see the video with the chest suspended.
If you ventured down to the basement, formerly Barney’s Beauty Department, you find the Workshop. The Workshop residency area is a space to get your creative juices for out-of-the-box creativity. Armed with boxes, construction paper, colored pencils, crayons, and glue, I created my own Louie trunk.
After your artistic experience, try small bites at Freds x Louis on the 9th floor, as your last LV 200 experience. The iconic Freds Cafe (named after the owner Barney’s son) is only open until December 31.
Once the show closes, Sotheby’s plans to auction the products on display, with proceeds going to nonprofits worldwide.
Let’s face it: we all love capturing moments and experiences; the Louis 200 exhibit in Barney’s reimagined building is a must-see. Why? It’s educational, interactive, and wonderful to learn about others’ artistic abilities. A reimagined building housing reimagined trunks!
The free exhibition ends December 31; reserve your timed entry here. Let me know if you go!
