The Louis Vuitton Alma Gets a Makeover in Gorgeous Leather

Much has been made, both by us and by our commenters, over Louis Vuitton’s highly publicized strategy shift toward higher prices in hopes of discouraging entry-level luxury consumers and appealing more to customers in the Hermes income bracket. The strategy includes both price-increases on existing products and the production of more top-tier bags in leather and exotics instead of Vuitton’s signature coated canvas (often with its attendant monogram), and the latest bag to show up as a result of those plans is the Louis Vuitton Alma Bag in Taurillon Leather.

Even shoppers who aren’t Vuitton fans or customers will recognize the iconic Alma shape – a domed satchel with short handles and a long zipper opening. It’s been a Louis Vuitton classic for ages, and in the recent past, it’s been most frequently seen in monogram canvas or logo-embossed vernis leather. Even the popular Epi leather Almas have an embossed monogram at the lower front corner, ensuring that even those who preferred the most discreet option were still flashing a little bit of logo. In accordance with Vuitton’s new direction, that’s no longer the case.

The only outwardly identifying information on this bag is a tiny embossed identifier between the handle attachments, and instead of a bold monogram, it’s the company’s name and Paris location. That’s more in line with how brands like Hermes and Celine do it and with how high-end customers in general expect their leather goods to be logo’d in the current marketplace. These Almas are part of the larger Louis Vuitton Parnasséa Collection, which also includes the newly remade Capucines bags and new versions of the Sofia Coppola satchel. The Parnasséa are all classic leather pieces that lack the forced logo displays that have often characterized Vuitton’s leather goods in the past; the Capucines, for instance, has a large logo, but the bag’s structure provides an opportunity for the owner to carry it with the monogram completely covered.

Other than that, it’s just smooth, expensive-looking leather as far as the eye can see, plus gleaming hardware in either silver or gold, depending on the bag’s color. The sophisticated design feels in line with what customers expect to see at a $4,000-plus price point, which is what the largest Taurillon leather version, the MM pictured above, will set you back. The newest version of the Alma also comes in two smaller sizes, a petite PM and a mini PPM. For comparison, the PPM is 9.8 inches wide, the PM is 12.6 inches and the MM clocks in at 13.8 inches, perfect for an everyday option. Check out all the versions of the bag below, complete with price and purchase information.