Vuitton rolls out the black carpet
French champagne flows as luxury brand sets the bar for a jolly good thrash
UPSTAIRS, in a largely empty parking lot, a suited-up security detail were hanging out between a handful of cars. Downstairs, the VIPs in their care gathered to ooh and aah over satchels, duffels and totes.
This was the week the London team of luxury French brand Louis Vuitton rolled into town and rolled out the black carpet to welcome customers, celebs and media to the opening of its new Sandton City store.
Not on the guest list? Then you missed out on bottomless Ruinart champagne, snazzy nibbles from catering queen Vicky Crease, and a lot of small talk.
You also missed out on advocate Lisa Koppel, aka Mrs Danny K, sashaying around in a precarious stocking jumpsuit; a magazine editor getting totally carried away on the really good champagne, and guests taking selfies with a handbag that costs more than R400k.
If, in this instance, you were a celebrity — and part of a select group of chosen ones — you would have made your way to the shop the day before, picked out a pair of the designer footwear, then pranced around in them on opening night. Those who showed off their gifted garb included Tsotsi actress Terry Phetho, who arrived with bestie and fellow thespian Mampho Brescia. Also in this “LV inner circle” was J’Something, the man commonly thought by many to be the entire musical group Mi Casa (he’s one of three members, everyone), who showed how the brand can go “street”, in his pair of übercool white LV sneakers.
Later in the week, it was the turn of the Russians to show off their best on the opening night of Giselle. The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre descended on Montecasino’s Teatro for their stay, which will also include the eternally popular Swan Lake.
The evening’s audience was a fine mix of young aspiring ballerinas (including one little princess in her pink tutu), and refined older guests who had donned their velvety best. It’s a pity most people no longer dress up for the theatre, with some even showing up in jeans. Thankfully, this lack of effort was more than compensated for on the stage as prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova transported the audience to an ethereal world of spectacular pirouettes and arabesques.
Selfies with a handbag that costs more than R400k