Team Spirit
Louis Vuitton celebrates the football World Cup in Russia with a new collection that includes a stylish one-of-a-kind trophy case
Louis Vuitton celebrates the World Cup in Russia with a new collection that includes a stylish one-of-a-kind trophy case
Whichever team takes home the Fifa World Cup from Russia this year, it will be travelling in high style. Louis Vuitton has created a bespoke trunk for the trophy to be awarded to the winner.
Unveiled at the kick-off of football’s biggest event on June 14, the case will hold the world’s most coveted sporting prize, which is fashioned out of solid 18-karat gold, at the tournament’s final on July 15. The new trunk’s elegant design—handcrafted in the house’s historic workshops in Asnières, France—showcases Louis Vuitton’s dedication to both traditional savoir faire and cutting-edge innovation.
The custom trophy case is an innovative, modern take on the brand’s classic trunks, featuring laser-engraved monogram titanium, cowhide corners, and a lock and clasps made of ruthenium, a dark grey metal. The chemical symbol for ruthenium is Ru, a clever nod to the tournament’s host country, Russia.
The trunk marks the luxury house’s third time participating in the biggest tournament for the biggest sport on Earth, following the creation of the cases for the trophies at the South Africa (2010) and Brazil (2014) Fifa World Cups.
But that’s not all. During four glorious weeks of action, featuring 32 teams and 64 games, the World Cup is richly attended not only by fashionable footballers sporting the luxury maison’s man bags, but their equally stylish fans. To help mark the occasion both in Moscow and worldwide, the French fashion label has added two new and exciting projects: an official Adidas match ball collection trunk and a leather-goods collection that includes new versions of the Keepall and Apollo bags, two wallets, a pocket organiser, a coin purse, and luggage tags.
Inspired by the legendary official match ball of the 1970 Fifa World Cup, the collection offers a refined yet playful football-inspired style, including exclusive, reimagined versions of the Keepall and Apollo bags, all created from Louse Vuitton’s Epi leather, famous for its quality since its launch in the 1920s. Most items are available in three striking combinations— red and white, black and white, and blue and white—on a hexagonal design using a threestage embossing procedure to create the texture of the sport’s classic balls. A logo unique to Russia 2018 has also been designed with the initials LV used like a team’s crest.
And continuing the company’s long tradition of personalisation, footie fans can show their true colours with a customisation tool that gives them the chance to create original and unique flag-inspired versions of the Keepall bags—even if your favourite team isn’t competing in the World Cup.
Louis Vuitton has also teamed up with Adidas and Fifa to create a unique, limited edition match ball collection trunk that is destined to become a collector’s item. Based on the house’s iconic wardrobe trunks, it will hold 13 re-editions of the official match balls used at World Cup tournaments, from the original Telstar first made in 1970 for the tournament in Mexico to this year’s official match ball—each signed by a football legend. An additional Louis Vuitton football made in natural cowhide leather will accompany the collection. Only the second football ever made by the luxury leather-goods brand, it can be purchased separately.
During the week of the final match, the trunk will be sold at a silent auction to benefit the Naked Heart Foundation, a charity that builds playgrounds and helps disabled children and their families in Russia, the UK and Peru.
The Louis Vuitton 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Official Licensed Product Collection will be available in 50 Louis Vuitton stores around the world and online until the end of July 2018.