Thursday, December 10, 2009

Louis Vuitton Maison One Central, Macau: Tour of the Store

The Architecture of One Central Maison

The 7th Maison in Louis Vuitton's network, One Central is a grand statement to manifest the Malletier's relentless pursuit of design innovation to demonstrate its rich legacy of travel culture and flawless craftsmanship.

Façade



The store is a dazzling show piece with a façade made up to 50,800 backlit, vertically aligned sculpted flowers with colored LEDs to produce a kinetic reflection which sets the tone of its interior where lights, textural contrasts and sumptuous touches take center stage. Measuring 1,600 sq. meters and merging seamlessly with the mall's custom striped façade on Level 3, the prominent exterior inspired by the iconic Monogram flowers is one of the largest façades in Asia Pacific.



The majestic shell provides an inspiring platform for the architectural team in Paris to refine the House's latest "Promenade" scheme which interconnects platforms and levels to distinguish spatial characters and clear visibility of this 3-leveled, 1,633 square-meter plan.



To celebrate this opening, special store windows to commemorate this event were exclusively designed playing on the theme of the "slot machine", adding a touch of fun to this event.


Level 1: Men's Universe, Travel Room and Bags Bar



The main entrance on the ground floor opens to a spacious men's universe where ward wood flooring and ceiling treatments define men's ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories corners in a cozy gentleman's club-like ambience with wood panels and stylish seating. The first Bag Bar for men makes its debut with a 4.5 meter line-up at One Central to meet the diversified tastes and ever-increasing demand of the style-consious gentlemen.



Facing the men's world is the Travel Room, where a 103" video screen playing archival animated and still images, signature travel luggage and trunks, travel products and books are in place to tribute to the House's cornerstone of travel culture, adventurous explorations and discovery.




Contrasting masculinity is an 8.5 meter Bags Bar for women in double-storey space which adjoins the upper watch and jewelry salon and women's universe. The walls and ceiling are glazed with a custom striped pattern for a subtle kinetic effect corresponding to the mall façade on Level 3.



An art piece titled unreal scene - a Macau city sculpture in poker chips - created specially for this store by Liu Jianhua stands in the center to demonstrate Louis Vuitton's art patronage closely associated with the cultures and social landscapes of the host cities.

The mezzanine between Levels 1 and 2 houses the women's accessories room covered in white leather panels to highlight the exquisite designs.




Extending from women's accessories room is the watch and jewelry salon treated in cream and dark lacuqer panels for a sumptuous and noble feel to reflect the exceptional craftsmanship behind the timer and valuables. Simply drawing a sheer curtain will privatize a VIP area for customer's private viewings. Niched between the 2 sections is a "Wall of Wonders", a backdrop to showcase some of Louis Vuitton's extraordinary high end items.


Level 2: Women's Universe



The bright space and light colors of the women's universe is a stark contrast to the masculine mood of Level 1 where natural light lacquer panels highlight exceptional leather goods.



Moving towards the façade corner with lake and city views, customers will indulge in the feminine and luxurious touches at the ready-to-wear area defined by chic designer seating and a private salon ambience.



Adjacent to the balcony overlooking the Level 1 Bags Bar, the staircase ascending to Level 3 is a master installation and a work craftsmanship. Cantilevered stone threads attached to a full high screen alinged with stainless steel rods, with matt slides finished with Monogram motif and polished surfaces sparkling with light reflection.


Level 3: Gallery, VIP Suite and Patio



No Louis Vuitton Maison is furnished without a special space and One Central is no exception. Greeting the guests at the entry are three art pieces - an oil painting of dice titled Lucky by Chen Wenbo and two surreal photographs by Jean Lariviere - to accentuate the spirit of Monte Carlo of the Orient. Antique visuals trace the evolution of modern travel since the inception of the Malletier in 1854, while a 200" rear projector screen playing the House's saviour-faire images.



Enclosed by huge striped glass wall, white walls and wood floor, the minimalist gallery has been conceptualized as a platform to exhibit antique and current special-order creations i.e. the Bed Trunk and Stokowski Desk Trunk as homage to Louis Vuitton's founding philisophy and top-notch skills with over 150 years of refinement. A newly designd manual-intensive Casino Trunk embodies the essence of the exclusive service and suggests the economic backbone of the city.

The jewel of this gallery level is the VIP Suite and Patio designed by Yabu Pushelberg. Measuring 140 square-meters, the VIP Suite commands unobstructed lake and Macau Tower views in a modern, elegant, and luxury setting. An art wall with the Suite hosts a mother-of-pearl inserts, library, sliding screens of glass reeds and linear gilt work to conceal displays and fitting room. Hand-tufted wool and silk carpets, platinum-finish linens and fine dark leather are deployed for an intimate, residential atmosphere. An exclusive elevator transport top clientele from the Ground Floor to the Suite boasting its own washroom and pantry.



Discreetly accessed from the VIP Suite and the Gallery, the 195 square-meter Patio is an effortless and comfortable extension of the indoor parlour. Divided into three areas in navy tones and furnished with custom-made resin furniture and soothing landscape, the Patio has been devised as a relaxing escape atop the bustling world. The exclusiveness of the rooftop garden is also enhanced by a VIP dining area where elegant landscape, hand-crafted furniture - some of which are made from reclaimed wood from Brazil - are installed.

The One Central Maison is the perfect platform to showcase Louis Vuitton's complete range of luxury products. This flagship Maison in Macau is a testimony to the brand's continued success and its commitment to luxury, fashion and the arts in Macau.

Images via Louis Vuitton


Louis Vuitton Maison One Central, Macau



Leader of French luxury, style, innovation and travel culture, Louis Vuitton opens its first Maison in Macau at One Central, marking another milestone of the House in Asia Pacific, in the world's latest thriving destination of entertainment and hospitality.

The celebration kicked-off with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mr. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Mr. Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Debains, President of Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific, International celebrity Ms. Shu Qi, Ms. Pansy Ho, Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings and Mr. Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land.



The fourth and the gradest of the Malletier's stores in Macau, the 3-levelled building connected to One Central Mall, promotes the newest flagship shopping destination on par with the "host venues" of Louis Vuitton Maisons such as Champs Elysees, Canton Road and Landmark in Hong Kong, Taipei, 5th Avenue in New York City and San Francisco.

With full panoramic views of the Nam Van lake and Macau Tower and a stone's throw from some of the most glamourest hotels and casinos, the Maison One Central has been conceived to reflect the House's heritage of savoir-faire, creative spirit, forward architecture infused with local culture is set to become the latest fashion landmark.



The opening party attracted a list of celebrities and city chic's crowd from the region, award winning actor Chang Chen and actress Gui Lun Mei from Taiwan. International top model Du Juan from China, and Ling Tan from New York, as well as a lot of social elites from Hong Kong including JoJo Fok, QiQi, Yvette Yuen, etc. Check out the photos of the celebs in attendance at ILVOELV's Facebook Fan Page.

With the special "gaming theme" canapés exclusively created, roaming magicians and flaming bartenders, the opening event was a great success. The highlight was with a French musical duet - DJ Brahms and Co from Paris. Their wide repertoire range of musical style in a "French touch" led everyone into a party mode.



The opening is not only hailed as the "event" to kick-off Macau's latest shopping institution, but more importantly a testimony to the brand's continued success and commitment to luxury and fashion business of the city.

The 7th Maison in Louis Vuitton's network, One Central is a grand statement to manifest the Malletier's relentless pursuit of design innovation to demonstrate its rich legacy of travel culture and flawless craftsmanship.

Images via Louis Vuitton


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign


Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2009
Model: Lara Stone
Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Marie-Amélie Sauvé
Hair: Garren
Makeup: Pat McGrath

"After our successful collaboration with Madonna, we are very happy to be working once again with Steven Meisel on the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2010 fashion campaign," says Artistic Director Marc Jacobs. "Because the collection loosely took its cues from the idea of the New Age traveler, we decided to create a green, outdoorsy set that would evoke a spirit of peace and love. To model the clothes, we wanted a modern, iconic, sexy beauty... It had to be Lara Stone."

In the six visuals, model-of-the-moment Lara Stone is pictured in a series of Bardot-esque poses on a bed of moss and ferns, surrounded by white doves. The cool, fresh background throws into relief the vivid colors of Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2010 collection and its array of standout accessories, including metallic Monogram canvas and sun-bleached Monogram denim bags, furry foxtail charms, hardware-inspired jewelry and wooden clogs embellished with rustic tufts of fur.



"It was a wonderful shoot," continues Marc Jacobs. "Doves were flying, the atmosphere was sexy and magical, and the result is a set of images that are desirable, colorful, whimsical and, of course, luxurious."



Antoine Arnault, Head of Communications for Louis Vuitton, comments: "This is a very strong campaign, reflecting the vibrant, optimistic mood of the Spring/Summer 2010 show. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Steven Meisel, and to welcome Lara Stone as the voluptuous new embodiment of the Louis Vuitton woman."

The Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2010 advertising campaign will break in the February 2010 issues of magazines worldwide. A behind-the-scenes video of the shoot will go on- line at louisvuitton.com. While waiting, check out some snaps at ILVOELV's Facebook fan page. Also be sure to become a fan to receive ILVOELV updates right at your Facebook page. :)

Images via Louis Vuitton


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

First Look: Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign

Its still December but the first image from Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2010 campaign with Lara Stone by Steven Meisel is already out. Well sort of. The image released is so small.



It looks promising! Is Lara wearing the 'fro? Anyway, here's the quote from WWD: "After two campaigns featuring pop priestess Madonna, Louis Vuitton has gone all New Age in its spring-summer fashion advertising, complete with white doves, ferns and voluptuous model Lara Stone lounging seductively on the grass.

“After two seasons with such a huge star, [artistic director] Marc [Jacobs] decided to take a breather and work with a model — and not just any model. It’s the choice of a new supermodel,” said Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s communication director, as he unveiled a campaign slated to break in February fashion titles. “She clearly has a Brigitte Bardot look.”

He described the six visuals as fresh, summery, whimsical, young and optimistic — and hopefully coinciding with brighter economic times.

It’s the third Vuitton campaign lensed by Steven Meisel, who constructed an outdoorsy set in a New York studio, planting a series of Vuitton handbags in the moss next to Stone and the birds. The first spots highlight the Artsy, an unstructured shoulder bag in Monogram canvas, followed by runway styles in sun-bleached denim, some dangling fox-fur charms."

Image via WWD


Louis Vuitton Monogram Miroir Sac Plat



Just in time for the holidays, Louis Vuitton has released the Sac Plat in the sparkly Monogram Miroir which creates a glamorous dipped-in-metal effect. Also like the classic Monogram and Damier versions, the Sac Plat is a perfect accessory to your city escapades (just more shiny and fabulous). The bags fits neatly into luggage so it’s ready for use at any stylish destination.

Monogram Miroir Sac Plat measures 14.9" x 14.3" x 3.5" and features an interior flat pocket, phone pocket, and D-ring for attaching a pouch or key holder. It comes in two colors, Gold and Silver. Both are available exclusively at Louis Vuitton stores for US$1560.

More detailed photos + real-life photos + size comparison with the Miroir Alma ℅ Tita Vanessa from Oslo after the jump…






Image via Louis Vuitton, Vanessa