Step Inside The Louis Vuitton Place Vendôme Store.
Luxury powerhouse Louis Vuitton is returning to the location where the young Louis Vuitton opened his first store over 160 years ago. The luxury brand opened the doors to its new Maison Louis Vuitton Vendôme at 2 Place Vendôme in Paris. It was in the streets neighboring the celebrated Parisian square that Louis Vuitton honed his craft and opened his first store in 1854.
2 Place Vendôme – some of the most exclusive stores in the world
Leather goods, accessories, textiles, fragrances, jewelry and watches – the entire portfolio of Louis Vuitton for women and men has been brought together at a single address. A space on the second floor is also home to the Appartement where clients can be invited to private viewings of products. Objets Nomades – the collection of travel and home objects by renowned designers – will for the first time be available on a permanent basis at the Maison Louis Vuitton Vendôme.
The former Hôtel Baudet de Morlet and Hôtel Heuzé de Vologer, two private mansions built in 1714, have been meticulously restored and returned to their former glory by architect Peter Marino. Behind the original façade, the Maison has been designed to create an airy ambiance filled with natural light. Extensive use of glass, light-colored stone and artisanal wall coverings are set off by beautiful parquet and stone flooring.
“I thought I would juxtapose a modern aesthetic to everything within the walls and restore as beautifully and faithfully as possible the exterior. The balance between modern and old, is for me, what Paris is all about,” said Peter Marino.
“This duality, too, is a reflection of Louis Vuitton. Nodding to its rich heritage, two of the maison’s most notable trunks are on display: a Library Trunk, ordered in 1933 by the Hollywood screenwriter Mrs W, and the 1917 Steamer Trunk, owned by Mr O, an admired Parisian jeweller,” notes wallpaper.
“And what could be more symbolic of the brand’s future than the creation of an exclusive version of its Tambour Moon Tourbillon Volant ‘Poinçon de Genève’ timepiece, made with 296 diamonds on its movement and case.”
The new Maison Louis Vuitton Vendôme is an art gallery as well exhibiting for the moment 33 contemporary works, some of them specially commissioned for the site. The works of Stephen Sprouse, Serge Alain Nitegeka, Paul Nabulumo Namarinjmak, Laurent Grasso, and Yan Pei Ming are celebrated here.
The new store features two working ateliers, the Atelier Haute Joaillerie and the Atelier Rare & Exceptionnel, where very important clients and celebrities have a chance to discover exceptional pieces from the latest collections, which can be fitted and personalized to their taste.
“The Château of Versailles: the cradle of French luxury, craftsmanship and savoir-faire. The Place Vendome: one of the most beautiful examples of French artistry of the 17th Century. Both were designed and built by architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart and both share a heritage that today remains important to Louis Vuitton,” commented the luxury maison.
“Despite the store’s grand Place Vendôme location (one which also boasts other Marino-commissioned flagships by Chanel and Dior), the intention of the space is not to overwhelm, but welcome. ‘The whole concept is that we call it the Louis Vuitton Maison. “The House of Vuitton” in this case is very fitting within the classic Parisian townhouses. This is intended to make the visitors feel at home,’ Marino says. ‘On entering one should feel excited and expectant, and on leaving, happy and uplifted.’
