Louis Vuitton’s 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition Visits New York
Louis Vuitton’s, “200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries”, exhibition showcases the imaginative trunks created by 200 visionaries. The traveling exhibit has arrived in New York and is on display from October 14th to December 31st, 2022.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton x LEGO
The tour starts with a gigantic birthday cake made with 31,700 Lego bricks to celebrate the bicentennial of the French fashion designer, Louis Vuitton. Vuitton started his brand in 1854 in Paris, France and his first item released was a steamer trunk in 1858. This is the item that inspired the exhibition and what created Vuitton’s legacy. This was also the beginning of his path to become an established luggage maker.
Courtesy of 1stDibs
In 1886, Vuitton’s son patented a locking system which made it impossible to pick the lock of the trucks. This is the locking system that is still used today. Confident in his design, Vuitton challenged famous American magician and escape artist, Henry Houdidi, to escape from his patented lock in a newspaper. Houdini didn’t attempt the challenge, but it goes to show how effective this lock system is.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
But, it wasn’t until after Vuitton’s death in 1896 where the signature LV monogram was introduced in the trunk’s design. This increased the brand’s recognizability and popularity. The monogrammed design attracted many wealthy customers and established the brand as a luxury fashion brand among the elite.
Courtesy of Getty/Michael Buckner/WWD
The show features trunks designed by several-dozen artists. Marc Jabobs and Supreme are two of Louis Vuitton’s long-term collaborators and their work is on display. The exhibit will also showcase their collaborations with Gloria Steinem and BTS.
In a brightly-lit room, the trunks are displayed with digital screens in the back. Modern trunks are seen next to wooden crates to replicate how the original trunks looked like during travel.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
A famous trunk that’s on display is an all-black gothic styled trunk with leather straps. Designed by architect Peter Marino, this trunk was designed so that even Henry Houdini could not get out of it. Marino stated, “We designed the trunk with tight fitting leather straps in order to avoid any chance of shifting panels over to allow for the stunt escape. The challenge now is open to any aspiring Houdini to escape this 'Houdini Trunk'."
Courtesy of Getty Images
The opening of the exhibit featured famous guests like Jaden Smith, Karlie Kloss, Nigel Sylvester, Francesca Sorrenti, Ben Ditto, and Mr. Flower Fantastic.
This is the exhibit’s last stop in their international tour so visit before it's too late! The exhibit has free admission and is on display at Barny’s New York Building. You can book your reservation at https://us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/magazine/articles/louis-200-exhibition-new-york.