Louis Vuitton Exhibit in Seoul

Before leaving Seoul, I made sure to check out the latest fashion exhibition by Louis Vuitton. The exhibition called, Volez, Vougez, Voyagez was held at the amazing Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Travel and fashion are 2 things I absolutely love. So Volez, Vougez, Voyagez was the perfect exhibition that combined these 2 lifestyle trends.

Where

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza is truly one of the most amazing architectural sites in Seoul city. It lies in the bustling fashion district and tourist are of Dongdaemun. It also hosts Seoul’s Fashion Week every year.

Cost

The exhibition s totally free and could be booked online.

When

The exhibition began on 3rd June 2017 and ran until the last week of August.

A History of Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton started working as a box maker/packer for Romain Maracel, who specialised in manufacturing crates and boxes and various other storage furniture and items. Over the year Louis Vuitton came to define his own style and perfect the art of luggage specifically. He became known for his ability to create unique pieces that were light but could also take in large volumes of goods.

He later designed and created his own insignia for his work. Today, it is recognised as one of the most famous logos in luxury fashion across the world.

Trunks and Travel

In the first room, we see the variety of Vuitton’s early work. We see what kind of luggage trunks were needed to long voyages and how they were each designed to fit their contents.

We see trunks designed specifically for women’s wear and occasion to gentleman’s’ trunk which consists of drawers for shaving and clothes. There were also medicinal trunks where doctors or apothecaries could store medicines. It even catered for various business travellers who need to carefully pack specific wares.

Sailing Away

We start looking into the beginning of transport and long distance travel abroad. Before the aeroplane, there was travelling by ship. We see Vuitton’s luggage move from classic trunks to modern baggage used today for those glamorous cruises. Yachting is also a popular activity with many of his clientele over time and the brand starts making luggage for different forms sea faring travel.

Luggage goes from functional to a combination of leisure and lifestyle. This changes in its design.

Vuitton on the road

In the next instalment we see the development of the motor car. Road trip were a relatively new concept, however storage was still a priority. Different bags for personal items and for keeping accessible tools were created.

Flying High

The invention of commercial aviation had not yet began, only short trips aboard private planes were prevalent. Luggage starts becoming smaller and more compact as a result.

Vuitton Express

In room 4 we see a re-created train carriage displaying the different types of fashion and the required baggage needed to store it away. Cross country train journeys were one of the main ways o getting around. Luggage trunks were big and bulky and were also made with mirrors, compact drawers that allowed to you to “live” on board. They included easy make-shift shaving and ladies’ dressing tables to avoid re-packing throughout the journey.

Timeless Trunks

We got to see some of Louis Vuitton’s best work in this room devoted to custom-made trunks. Trunks could be custom-ordered with unique insignia for customers.

Louis Vuitton Today

Louis Vuitton luggage have come a long way. As lifestyle and travelling mode have changed so has the brand. The monogram has seen many changed and variations as it appeals to different markets. New innovative baggage focused on the convenience of the user has always and still is its main focus.

At the end of the exhibition, they had French leather cutters from Louis Vuitton showing the immaculate process of making pieces. You also got to try some new perfumes.

Conclusion

I thought it was a wonderful way to promote the brand and its origins. I actually never paid too much attention to Louis Vuitton, even when I was a fashion student living in France. I think it’s because Louis Vuitton as a luxury brand, still comes across as old, and the its famous logo has been so badly sabotaged by imitation that’s it has become sort of ‘tacky’ to the trendy and youth market. There recent runways have shown a major change in their seasons to appeal to a younger market, but I think this exhibition really does more justice by showing why the brand can still be of relevance today.