The first time I saw one of Louis Vuitton’s oversized installations was on a chilly March morning on Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
The brand’s iconic LV monogram dotted an enormous silver structure, its gentle curves and faux metal studs transforming the building into a monumental trunk. I later learnt the wrap concealed construction on the brand’s upcoming luxury hotel, set to open next year.
While the hotel will no doubt be a sight to behold, Louis Vuitton recently revealed another equally dazzling, monogrammed marvel: The Louis Shanghai.
Now docked in Shanghai, China, The Louis is the brand’s latest experiential destination. A hybrid retail space, cafe, and immersive exhibition in the form of a gleaming ship. Complete with illuminated decks and a silver anchor shaped like the LV logo, the installation pays tribute to the brand’s deep-rooted connection to travel with their founder, Louis Vuitton, who began as a trunk maker in the late 1830s. This latest maritime-themed project also aligns beautifully with Shanghai’s heritage as a historic international port.
Designed in collaboration with architecture and urbanism firm Shohei Shigematsu — OMA, The Louis includes an outdoor terrace, Le Café Louis Vuitton, a dedicated exhibition area on the first and second floors, a boutique gift store and a retail space.
After the success of their first cafe and restaurant in Osaka in 2020, Louis Vuitton has since expanded its culinary concept to Tokyo, New York City and now Shanghai.
At the helm of Le Café Louis Vuitton are chefs Leonardo Zambrino and pastry chef Zoe Zhou, who present a balanced, East-meets-West menu. House signatures like the “5th Avenue Lobster Roll” and “Club Pont Neuf” remain, while new dishes, such as the “Louis Hao,” a seabream carpaccio with bergamot sabayon and garden vegetables, or the “Mandarin Croque,” a duck leg confit with summer cabbage, offer local reinterpretations rooted in Shanghai cuisine.
The cultural centrepiece of The Louis is the Visionary Journeys exhibition. Spanning two floors within the hull of the ship, it explores the multifaceted heritage of the 170-year-old Maison through thematic rooms centred on various themes such as travel, craftsmanship and innovation.
A highlight of the exhibition is the Trunkscape, designed by Shigematsu — OMA. An immersive archway composed entirely of monogrammed trunks, the installation has travelled from LV The Place in Bangkok to Osaka’s Nakanoshima Museum of Art. Visitors walk through this portal before entering the exhibition space.
Visionary Journeys unfolds across two timelines. The first charts the brand’s beginnings, starting with its original workshop in Asnières in 1859 and after Mr Vuitton’s evolution from trunk-maker to the founder of an iconic legacy. The second timeline dives into Louis Vuitton’s maritime history, from transatlantic travel to its long-standing involvement in regattas such as the Louis Vuitton Cup.
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The Origins room showcases a trove of heritage pieces, including one of the brand’s first trunks, the Gris Trianon, alongside steamer bags, vanity cases, and couture trunks. In the Voyage room, the exhibition traces the journeys of historic travellers and intellectuals who became entwined with the brand. Vintage patents, rare bag shapes and archival advertisements reveal Vuitton’s unique design legacy.
In the Perfume room, guests explore the olfactory side of Louis Vuitton through rare perfume flacons and a more recent addition: Malle Découverte, a trunk designed to hold souvenirs with emotional meaning. The Books room presents sketches, rare texts, and travel lectures by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the founder’s grandson, adding literary weight to the brand’s history.
From scent to sport, the exhibition moves to Louis Vuitton’s bespoke trophy trunks for events like Formula 1®, Fifa and the Olympics. Archival cases for ski gear and tennis racquets demonstrate how deeply the brand’s reach extends beyond fashion.
The final rooms, Fashion & Leathergoods, and Workshop & Testing, bring visitors closer to the brand’s contemporary essence. They showcase the history of several iconic bags and the journeys of various artistic directors while offering a behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship that defines Louis Vuitton, from live demonstrations to the meticulous quality checks that go into each creation.
From that first encounter with a monogrammed trunk installation in Paris to this quiet spectacle in Shanghai, Louis Vuitton continues to find unexpected ways of engaging with its history.
The Louis doesn’t just celebrate the brand’s legacy in fashion, it opens up a space where architecture, craftsmanship, travel, and culture intersect. While rooted in luxury, the experience isn’t limited to fashion insiders; it offers something to anyone curious about design, storytelling, or the role objects play in shaping memory.
In tracing both its origins and its ongoing evolution, The Louis reminds us that heritage isn’t static, it’s something that moves, adapts and asks to be reinterpreted.
