Louis Vuitton It has always been in motion. Before the French fashion house became a fixture on catwalks and red carpets, it solved travelers’ problems: creating trunks that could survive ocean crossings, train rides, and rough handling on bustling platforms. Now, a new 406 page book, From Louis to Vuittonpublished by Asolinecelebrates the brand’s history of innovation and tells how its own identity was shaped by transportation itself.
Told through 320 images, the tome begins with the invention that changed everything: the stackable, flat-top trunk. The suitcase was not only elegant; It was practical and designed to fit perfectly in the holds of ships and train carriages. Over the next century and a half, Louis Vuitton adapted its craftsmanship to every mode of transportation imaginable: rail, sea, air, and now, racing circuits. From Louis to Vuitton traces the relationship of the house with movement in all its forms. Hemingway’s literary trunkBuilt to store manuscripts while traveling, it sits alongside modern creations related to F-1 and the america cup.
History and innovation go side by side throughout the book. Find stylish images of Formula 1 cars and sailboats alongside archival photographs of the Asnières workshop, founded by Louis Vuitton in 1859. It’s where each bespoke trunk and hard case is still handcrafted by artisans using a combination of 19th century techniques and today’s modern technology.
In collaboration with Formula 1, Louis Vuitton now also designs the official trophy chests—handcrafted in the Asnières workshop and custom built from poplar wood and coated canvas, reinforced with brass corners and leather trim. The trunks travel the F-1 circuit from Monaco to Miami, designed to protect the championship trophies in every transfer, handling and race day shock. In the water, your association with the America’s Cup it follows a similar philosophy: artisans dedicate more than 400 hours to creating compact, waterproof and custom-made trunks to house the Auld Mug and Challenger trophies.
Even the book’s limited-edition case, with only 54 custom trunks produced, traces back to that lineage. Vuitton has long done book trunkslike Hemingway’s, to unique commissions for collectors. Regardless of their purpose, Louis Vuitton’s first trunks were meant to last—the coated canvas, brass corners, and reinforced stitching made them companions to invest in—and those same design principles continue in the house’s contemporary luggage: lightweight aluminum frames on the Marc Newson’s Horizon CasesDouble zipper security systems and interiors designed to increase structural strength and packing space.
More Louis Vuitton bags that we love
Here, we’ve rounded up some trendy pieces from the book that you can purchase for your own timeless travel collection.
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