Trunk Show
Cementing its relationship with sporting champions, Louis Vuitton has teamed with tennis player Carlos Alcaraz to create a personalized trunk to hold a selection of his memorabilia and equipment.
It marks the second chapter of its Malle Vestiaire project, which launched last August with rugby legend Dan Carter, as Vuitton ramps up its sports marketing in the runup to the Paris Olympics, sponsored by its parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Alcaraz, who signed on as a Vuitton brand ambassador last year, selected items including the Nike shirt and shoes he wore when he became Wimbledon champion in 2023, and one of his Babolat rackets.
In addition, the trunk holds some of his personal Vuitton items, such as a blue Speedy bag that was a gift from Pharrell Williams, creative director of menswear at the French luxury brand, and his favorite LV x Nike AF1s.
Reflecting his life on the tournament circuit, accessories include tennis balls, Vuitton’s Nanogram portable speaker, Horizon Light Up earphones and toiletry bags.
The exterior of the trunk, in classic Monogram canvas, was handpainted with logos reflecting the career trajectory of the 20-year- old, who has enthralled audiences with his explosive playing style.
When he won his maiden Grand Slam at the U. S.
Open in 2022, Alcaraz became the first man in history to top the tennis world rankings before the age of 20.
“I’m excited to have collaborated on my own Malle Vestiaire with Louis Vuitton. It is a project we began last year and have put a lot of time and effort into with the team,” he said.
“I put personal items inside it that represent
my life and career, and the custom hand- painted symbols on the outside also represent me as a person — they add a nice, personalized touch. For me, it is a bit of a time capsule from my first trophy at 10 years old, to my shirt and shoes from my Wimbledon win,” Alcaraz added.
A replica version of the trunk — minus the oneof- a- kind memorabilia
— is available to order for 150,000 euros.
Alcaraz is the numbertwo seed heading into the Australian Open, which is set to kick off the 2024 season on Sunday.
Vuitton has been addressing sports- loving audiences with a series of campaigns and activations, including an image of soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing chess. In the run- up to the Paris Games, it has signed French champion swimmer Léon Marchand and fencer Enzo Lefort.
“What I love about Louis Vuitton is that they are more than just a fashion brand. It is more than just clothes. The brand is ingrained in culture and has been for over 100 years,” said Alcaraz.
“They understand how to mix fashion with art, design, sport and music, to make something unique and special. The campaign with Messi and Ronaldo playing chess, for example. I think only Louis Vuitton could do that,” he added.
— JOELLE DIDERICH