The Secretaire Bureau 2.0 features an interior of straw marquetry. Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Surveying today’s streamlined suitcases, it seems almost inconceivable that their smooth rectangular shape was once considered groundbreaking. Introduced in 1854, when travelers embarked on far-flung voyages by train or ship with their de rigueur fashions of wide skirts and crinolines, the trunks were the revolutionary invention of young layetier-emballeur Louis Vuitton, who conceived flat-topped luggage to stack more easily in cargo holds.
Vuitton then wrapped his cases in Gris Trianon, a light but sturdy canvas waterproofed with oil paint. The material helped make his pieces distinct from subsequent imitations. The Damier check and Monogram print, the latter imagined by his son, Georges Ferréol Vuitton, further set the designs apart.
The Louis Vuitton atelier in Asnières-sur-Seine, France. Photo: Eric LeGuay
Since the very beginning, these sophisticated cases have been made at the maison’s atelier, a light-filled workshop attached to the founder’s family home in Asnières-sur-Seine, France. Here, a community of artisans use tools and techniques dating from as far back as Napoléon III to sculpt singular pieces such as the bespoke trunk Ernest Hemingway utilized to transport his library or the glamorous wardrobe designed for master couturier Paul Poiret. In more recent years, collaborations with contemporaries in art and fashion have resulted in inspired examples, including Cindy Sherman’s “studio in a trunk” and a butterfly first aid kit by Damien Hirst.
“Fundamentally, it’s not about luggage; it’s about innovation,” states Louis Vuitton’s former chief executive Michael Burke in the brand’s monograph Louis Vuitton Manufactures (Assouline). “The reason why Louis went into business himself is he wanted to innovate and create something different than what was on the market.”
Louis Vuitton Vanity Mahjong case. Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
"Fundamentally, it's not about luggage; it's about innovation"
Michael Burke
The Secretaire Bureau 2.0 is based on an original design from 1929. Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Today, artisans at Atelier d’Asnières use modern technology to cut leather with precision yet adhere to age-old tradition, manually applying glue and interlacing layers of tape as was the process when Louis Vuitton himself oversaw production. These dedicated makers build contemporary collectibles, like the soigné Party trunk, a self-contained home bar, or Secrétaire Bureau 2.0, featuring stunning straw marquetry. The brand also continues to execute historic designs, such as the Monogram Trophy trunk, which will house the award awaiting the winners of the America’s Cup sailing race in Barcelona this October. The workshop is a living testament to the power of craft and a legacy of savoir faire.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Collectors Issue under the headline “Case History.” Subscribe to the magazine.
