INSIDE THE PRIVATE WORKSHOPS OF LOUIS VUITTON
The book, Louis Vuitton Manufactures takes you on a ride behind the scenes of how the Maison crafts some of the world’s greatest luxury goods
LOUIS VUITTON IS A LABEL that fosters the idea that an atelier can be a place of fulfilment and individuality. A place where savoir-faire can be learned, respected, and transmitted̶ where innovation is nurtured, by artisans who routinely challenge the image of a traditional workshop.
Everyone knows that the French luxury fashion house’s signature monogram print has been an iconic staple in the travel and fashion industries alike since it was first introduced by Louis Vuitton in 1896. Though initially focused on luggage, bags and accessories, the brand has expanded its scope to include ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, fragrances, watches and fine jewellery in recent decades. Whatever the item is, though, if it has the LV name or monogram on it, you know to expect quality̶especially when it’s made by the Maison’s talented and seemingly limitless craftspeople.
While even the casual observer could pick out a Louis Vuitton handbag or suitcase based on the familiar brown and tan pattern, only a handful of people are familiar with the work that goes on behind the scenes, or rather, seams, of producing the leather goods since the company was first founded in 1854̶but a new book by luxury publisher Assouline means to change that.
Earlier this year, Louis Vuitton released a coffee table book
that gives the people some insight into its luxurious legacy and the craftspeople behind it. The book, titled Louis Vuitton Manufactures, features a hammer on top of the iconic LV monogram print for its silk hardcover. It includes a foreword from journalist and author Nicholas Foulkes and more than 350 exclusive photographs splashed in full frame, of photographs of the products, places, and faces of the Maison. Scenes from Louis Vuitton installations such as the leather goods workshop in Ducey, France and the high jewellery atelier in Paris, are amongst the collection. The photographs were commissioned exclusively for the book, according to the press release, and will give the reader an inside perspective of how the Parisian label came to be.
As described in a statement, “Louis Vuitton has scattered ateliers the length and breadth of France and beyond, to Geneva, Veneto, and even Texas. Often sites of historic interest or outstanding natural beauty will have a Louis Vuitton workshop nearby: In Normandy, the sea-girt fastness of Mont-Saint-Michel can be seen from the workshop; the facility in Beaulieu-surLayon is complete with beehives for making honey.”
Aside from the scenery shots, the book also honours the craftspeople who make Louis Vuitton possible. Creators, ateliers, and artisans “who express their talent through Louis Vuitton’s creations” are given recognition throughout the glossy pages, also earning the book’s dedication.