Revamping the Louis Vuitton Brand

Brief 3: ‘What if you had to revamp Louis Vuitton’s brand, what direct visual research influences would you use around Brighton to inspire your creative research into the project. How would you use them and why’

“Series 3 is a stand-alone exhibition showcasing a designer and his creative process and influences. Far more than a simple collection, it is a stream of consciousness, dreams and self-reflexive journeys. Inside a designer’s mind, muses intertwine with cherished memories and visions of new shapes, cuts and meticulous craftsmanship.” – quote from the “series 3” Louis Vuitton exhibition which i love. It is true, as you take the journey through the exhibition it is like you are walking through Louis Vuitton’s house of memories as each room hits one of your 5 senses creating a new experience that you can take home with you. The first thought i had when looking around each room was how much effort and love each artisan, designer, artist, stylist ect, put into creating high quality work whilst still keeping the history of the brand close to their hearts.

It all started in 1837 where the 16 year old Louis Vuitton arrived in France on foot, he then started his apprenticeship with Monsieur Maréchal which would then lead him to bigger and better future. The young Louis Vuitton became a valued craftsman for Monsieur Maréchal, in a very short period of time, making trunks at a high quality for travellers to protect there belongings whilst on the move. After 17 years at the Parisian atelier of Monsieur Maréchal, Louis Vuitton opened his own workshop at 4 Rue Neuve-des-Capuines close to the Place Vendome, where he used his skills to produce custom designed boxes, his signature trunks and also the ‘unpickable lock’ which he designed himself. In the series 3 Louis Vuitton Exhibition it is full of aspiration from both the historical value as well as the artisan’s them self, we are shown an insight into the Louis Vuitton world. In the 1990’s travellers carried their personal belongings in wardrobes as well as flat trunks so often attracted burglars; the unpickable lock was the first of its kind, Louis Vuitton and his son George in 1886 created the lock to protect their clients from the dangers of theft whilst on their travels. After seven years of experiments as well as trails they produce a lock made up of one single lock with two spring buckles; George was so sure that the lock was ‘unpickable’ that he challenged the famous american escape artist, Harry Houdini, in a newspaper to escape the lock system, however he declined the offer and the lock is still used today after being so effective.

Whist i was at the Louis Vuitton series 3 exhibition there was a lot of things i learnt and also there was a lot of things that interested me. As you walked through it had the same layout a house would have, this brings us back to the beginning of Louis Vuitton’s story as his Behind the scenes of a new show there is a huge amount of different aspects to consider and during the the autumn/ winter collection 2015/16 all parts of the show linked into each other.

‘ “Series 3” is a sensorial journey, venturing deep into the designer’s soul as an artisan’s heart.’ quoted from Nicholas Ghesquiére’s introduction to the exhibition, it shows his passion for the brand and well as the connection both him and each artisan has towards the brand and history.

By using all 5 senses it allows visitors to make an emotional connection to the pieces. As humans we can make a connection with sounds, noises, smells, sights as well as textures, the human brain then associates this new data into a memory. In any Louis Vuitton shop you go into it would smell of leather as you would assume seeing as that is what the products are made from, however, the leather used is cured and cured leather does not have a scent so they use a spray to make each of their shops smell like leather, they do this so you have an emotional connection whilst looking around the shops so you then are more likely to remember the products and also reassure the costumers know that the products are made with real high quality leather, making it more likely for the customer to make a purchase.

The brand we know and love today is said to be worth around €30.638 billion, with an estimated 121, 289 employees, which it takes each artisan roughly five to six years to train into skilled professionals. Since Louis Vuitton founded his company ‘Louis Vuitton’ in 1837 it has become an empire which has evolved over the years to the brand we know and love today; running the company in current day is Micheal Burke (CEO & chairman), Nicolas Ghesquiére (creative Director), Kim Jones (Mens ready-to-wear style director) and César Rubio (Creative Director). Over time the company has changed and evolved to keep up with the newest fashion trends as well as the demands of the clients, but at the same time keeping the values true to Louis Vuitton’s ethos.

Louis Vuitton has a responsibility as a goods manufacturer to make sure customers are safe from the harm of spending there money of fake products therefore was the reason for the original monogram. Recently Nicolas Ghesquirére has produced a different monogram which is gorgeous, feminine and not as dark as the original monogram which was used against counterfeiting in 1896 by George Vuitton, the monogram was influenced by George Vuitton’s kitchen tiles and was perfect as it made the Louis Vuitton products extremely difficult to copy.

Nicholas Ghesquiére’s work has a crisp and clean finish to it which is smart as well as defined, the colours work in harmony portraying a sophisticated and clean finish. The red dots break up the otherwise block shapes which make up the repeat pattern also the light shining onto the pattern highlights the fact that the material used is slightly padded so each petal is 3D making them stand out from the white background. The original monogram is made up of two different shades of brown, the contrast in colours creates contouring lines for each of the different shapes. When looking at the pattern i find that the focal point is where the L and V combined letters appear as they are made up of straight lines which stand out against the other shapes made from curved edges, this is because the straight line are harsh whereas, the curved lines are soft.

If i where to use everything i knew about the Louis Vuitton brand and revamped it just as Nicholas Ghesquiére has started to do, i would use influences from Brighton which is filled with culture, diverse and welcoming people as well as being a very cosmopolitan city. Whilst I’ve been living here i have been surrounded with new sights, smells, sounds, textures as well as tastes i wont find at home, it has inspired me as well as influenced me. By being in a new place and discovering things for the first time it has helped me to think how i would answer the question “How would i revamp the Louis Vuitton brand using inspiration from Brighton?”. I have come to the conclusion that the Royal Pavilion in Brighton is my favourite piece of architecture, it is a beautiful building and i was reminded of it whilst at the “Series 3” Louis Vuitton exhibition because of “Genesis of a collection” which was a tribute to the late Richard Buckminster Fuller.

From both pieces of architecture i have the idea that if i was to revamp the brand i would make my own monogram as well as incorporate new patterns based on the shapes of the windows, the way the lines curve across the domes and the patterns across each arch on the Royal pavilion as well as the metallic structure from the metal dome from the “Series 3” Louis Vuitton exhibition and show. I would combine harsh lights, dark shadows also i would add metallic elements into the work, as well as making new products, patterns and designs i would also scrap the bags that are tasteless but are produced just because they have the original monogram printed onto them. By getting rid of the bags, watches belts ect, printed with the original monogram but in sickly, child-like colours and adding a sense of class and sophistication with my new metallic and even futuristic feel i would of changed a huge part of the Louis Vuitton brand which could be said to have a child-like element. This would be after careful planning, experimentation as well as taking influence from the history of Louis Vuitton, pieces from the past and regenerating pieces into futuristic and even contemporary work.

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