Of all the bags that Louis Vuitton has made in its 163 years, the ones produced during its 2001 collaboration with downtown New York designer and artist Stephen Sprouse are some of the most iconic. Now about a dozen will be on view at “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez,” the French house’s special exhibition celebrating its history in travel and luggage, through January 7 at New York’s former American Stock Exchange building (86 Trinity Pl.).
After its 2015 debut at the Grand Palais in Paris, the show made stops in Tokyo and Seoul. Artistic director and set designer Robert Carsen created some of the exhibition rooms to mimic the different modes of travel (a mahogany-paneled train car set against a moving backdrop or a yacht-themed platform to highlight maritime luggage).
For the first North American showing, he added a new space dedicated entirely to American artists and designers, which features Sprouse’s pieces. It’s an appropriate addition but also an integral part of the brand’s recent history, which has relied heavily on artistic collaborations. In celebration of the exhibition, Louis Vuitton will host a pop-up store at Brookfield Place (225 Liberty St.) through March. The temporary boutique will carry a selection of leather goods and accessories. louisvuitton.com
Scroll down for the brand's canon of It Bags.
Courtesy Louis Vuitton
Circa 1925
Monogram canvas trunk by the founder’s grandson Gaston-Louis Vuitton.
Courtesy Louis Vuitton
1996
Designer Azzedine Alaïa’s Leopard Alma bag from the 100th-anniversary collection.
Courtesy Louis Vuitton
2003
Multicolored monogram Alma bag designed in collaboration with artist Takashi Murakami.
Courtesy Louis Vuitton
2006
Chromium-plated bronze and silver sculpture of the Keepall bag by Sylvie Fleury.