And then at Louis Vuitton Spring 2010, creative director Marc Jacobs saw fit to attach furry tails to the bags. Yep, that happened.

As far as bags go, the show started…dreadfully. Most of them appeared to be made of dip-dyed cotton canvas in candy colors with coordinating fluffy appendages streaming off the back, which were sometimes bigger than the bag itself. After a dozen looks, I thought I was in for a very unpleasant show.

But after a little while, things started to look decidedly better. I’m not sure if it was just the fashion show version of Stockholm Syndrome, I guess that’s always possible, but things rallied a bit during the middle and end portions of the show. Instead of canvas bags with animal parts hanging from them, Vuitton returned to the leathers and embossed logos to which fans are slightly more accustomed.

Which is not to say the bags were boring – they weren’t. The opposite, in fact. And they weren’t entirely successful, but I appreciate the combination of colors, materials, and textures that Jacobs attempted in order to make something new out of one of the most recognizable logos in the fashion world. The collection was heavy on messengers, and the ones that combined logo leather with smooth in different colors were probably the best bags of the show, in addition to the duffel bags made of similar textures. Please, Marc Jacobs, if you’re out there: please give the tassel-covered bags a rest. Thanks.

The more I look through the bags from the last half of the collection, the more the eclectic ideas and influences grow on me, and I’m not sure what my final opinion will be once the dust of fashion week has settled. One thing is sure, though; adventurous collections like Louis Vuitton, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen are what make Paris the world’s reigning fashion city. New York has some catching up to do.

                                                

Images via Style.com.

Louis Vuitton has partnered with artist Camille Scherrer to present the new “Louis Vuitton : Art. Fashion and Architecture” book. The book will be available in stores this Friday, September 11th. Now you can watch the animated movie of the book coming to life above.

The Internet and luxury have always been sort of mutually exclusive. The Internet is broad, democratic, and welcomes all kinds; it has changed the way that consumers interact with corporations in fundamental ways that are constantly evolving. Luxury brands are narrow, elitist, and target a very specific clientele. They require a bit of mystery and aloofness in order to be aspirational and make their traditional brand identities work, and they’re generally not interested in changing how their companies interact with…well, anyone. “The way it has always been done” is idealized and worshiped in an almost religious way, and even though many below-the-surface practices have evolved in recent years (most notably, manufacturing), the way that brands want you to perceive them has remained largely untouched for decades.

But the problem with this whole Internet thingamabob is that it’s kind of insidious and it’s changing the way that people of a variety of incomes and social standings shop and inform themselves about potential purchases. Fashion shows are no longer private events for an elite group of celebrities, editors, and clients; they’re presentations of goods that can often be seen in their entirety by average customers within minutes of their completion. There may be exclusivity left in the invitation to attend a show, but not in the information that one gains by attending.

That the clothes being presented are not immediately available to clients when their buzz is at its height is a failing of the old-school fashion industry that deserves an examination in and of itself at another time. Right now, though, it just serves to illustrate the fact that old-school luxury brands aren’t quite sure what to do about how technology is changing the ground upon which they stand. No long do they have the layers of editors and buyers in between them and those that ultimately use their products – increasingly, consumers want to interact directly with those that make and market their goods. Until recently, it seems as thought brands thought they could simply opt out of the online marketplace and everything would be fine.

It wasn’t long ago that many luxury brands scoffed at the idea of running their own websites, let alone using them to reach out to customers and sell products directly to those that they may have a difficult time reaching otherwise. I remember getting my first high-end designer purse, a nylon Prada bag that was a present for my high school graduation, and trying to find information about it online. And despite my best efforts, I couldn’t find much.

That was only 5 years ago, and Prada’s website at the time consisted entirely of an image from their ad campaign against a black background; there was nothing else. At the time they said that their lack of web presence was because they wished to retain the traditional, more personal boutique-customer relationship, but somewhere in the last half a decade, they realized that that wasn’t going to win them any new customers. They have since built a healthy online site to engage customers through collection photos, schedules of public events, and a fairly extensive shop.

According to a 2008 Unity study, 94% of affluent customers make online purchases, and as sales have slowed as a result of back-breaking economic conditions the world over, luxury companies are starting to realize that they have to start messing around with this newfangled Internet thing after all. Some companies still refuse to even offer their products for sale online, but the tide is changing slowly as more and more websites are embracing online shopping, web marketing, and even social media. And perhaps they’re learning from some of the thriving independent handbag designers that have embraced blog buzz and interacting directly with their customers for quite some time.

Louis Vuitton made news a few months ago by becoming one of the first of the megabrands to join microblogging site Twitter. By doing so, they can send press releases, pictures, and information about new products directly to their buyers immediately and as often as they like; magazines have months-long lead times, and disseminating most kinds of information through them simply isn’t efficient anymore when consumers are used to finding things out immediately from their favorite blogs. And then they made further company history: they created a bag that would be sold only to online customers, with no boutique availability.

Vuitton also made another big step by hosting a reception in New York City recently for members of the online fashion media (Vlad and Shannon got to attend – you can read their coverage here), and we can only hope that other brands will follow their lead out of necessity. Louis Vuitton the sort of brand with the resources and following that allow them to break new ground and test new ideas before others may consider them viable options, and other brands may be forced into the online marketplace as a way to make up for lost revenue that would normally come through traditional stores. In that regard, this may just be another way that the recession forces the fashion industry to haul itself into the 21st century, and the brands that are struggling now and can’t figure out what they’re doing wrong may come out of all of this much better for it, if they do eventually succeed in realizing that they can’t just cover their ears and pretend we’re not here anymore.

So what could these brands potentially do with the Internet and social media in order to maintain their luxury status but still reach out to their customers? With the web’s ability to target niche audiences, the possibilities are endless if the brands decide that the effort is worth it. Two days ago, I got my cable bill sorted out with Charter’s Twitter customer service representative. I didn’t have to call and slog through an automated menu until I found a way to talk to a person, I just sent a short message to their Twitter name and my problem was solved easily. If I can get personal, immediate service on something as banal as a cable bill, why can’t I send a tweet to Louis Vuitton’s Atlanta boutique and ask them if the bag I want is in stock before I drive over there? When we all live on our computers, finding their phone number, calling them up, and finding someone who can answer my question seems positively non-luxurious.

So, to all the luxury brands out there: welcome to the Internet! We’ve been talking behind your back for years! Please try to do something interesting during your stay.

About a month ago, the Purse Blog team attended the Kayne West Shoe launch at Louis Vuitton Bal Harbour. We did not leave with a new pair of sneakers, but I left crushing on a new handbag. One of our favorite SA’s at LV (the entire staff at LV Bal Harbour is amazing) showed me a new clutch that I adored. The Louis Vuitton Sobe Clutch is the all-around perfect attention getter. The patent leather appears liquified and the LV signature in golden brass finishes the clutch off beautifully.

The original Vernis bags were named after streets in downtown NYC. When I first saw the name of this clutch I wondered if Louis Vuitton named it after another famous city, South Beach. After talking with my SA at LV today I can confirm that the Sobe clutch is indeed named after South Beach, which is perfectly fitting for this clutch. All about style and easy to take out into the nightlife, this clutch is nothing but hot. Fergie wore the much loved belt that accompanies this bag to the LV show last month. Size is 4.3″ x 10.2″ x 2.2″. Buy through Louis Vuitton for $895.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Man’s greatest achievement. Over 400,000 years of generations of men and women gazed to the sky, wondering if it was going to be possible to once reach the unreachable. All these combined visions, unbound imagination and unprecedented engineering led to the ultimate achievement on July 20th, 1969, when NASA astronauts Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. stepped foot on the moon.

I am way too young to tell you how people felt that day, watching the moon landing being transmitted on their tellies around the world. Ask your parents or grandparents and they will be able to tell you exactly where they were and who they were with, as they witnessed epic history being made. I believe there is no other achievement in human history that taught us that we are only limited by the limitations we impose on ourselves. Imagination is everything.

But wait, space ramblings on Purse Blog?

I actually had the grand privilege to meet the pioneers of space travel in person last week in NYC, namely Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell (of Apollo 13). I am very grateful that the lovely people at Louis Vuitton extended their invitation for us to come and celebrate the Moon Landing with them. The evening kicked off with a busy book signing hour at the Vuitton flagship store on 5th Avenue, followed by the hottest ticket in town that night, the cocktail hour at the American Museum of Natural History.

  

Countless celebrities were in attendance, including Adriana Lima, Miranda Kerr, Cassie Ventura, Whitney Port, Lance Bass and cast from Gossip Girl. Frankly though, I did not care much about the a-list crowd of people. Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell, along with the thousands of engineers and brains behind the Saturn rocket missions have had more significant impact on the progression of humanity than any of these ‘celebrities’ ever will even dream of.

Hence, my ultimate goal was to fly to New York City for a few hours and to shake the hands of these special men, so one day I would be able to point my finger to the sky and tell my kids about the day that I met them. With patience and perseverance I eventually achieved my goal, the wonderful Rebecca Minkoff was there to snap the glorious moment of meeting Jim. There is is photographic evidence of meeting Buzz as well, it is still making its way through the PR channels at Louis Vuitton before I can get my hands on it. Blast, wish I could have posted it tonight as well.

I am still in awe over this fantastic opportunity to meet Buzz and Jim, many thanks go out to Louis Vuitton for inviting Purse Blog to the Lunar event. A PurseForum discussion thread on the event is located here.

True, these shoes are rather unique (although, do they remind any of you of the old school Reebok high-tops?), but I don’t think I will be rushing out to buy them any time soon. However, there were plenty of others at the event last night that were walking away with boxes and boxes of these shoes. It may or may not come as a shock to you, but a lot of these shoes are close to sold out! Head over to your local LV store and grab some… if it’s your kind of thing.

Image via LA MJC

Louis Vuitton, another house that traditionally shows in Paris, didn’t have a real show at all – instead, the clothes were presented as we see them here. It’s a more understated choice for a more informal season and smaller collection, but that doesn’t mean the sailor-and-pinup-inspired clothes and accessories are any less exciting. In fact, they’re refreshingly clean and pretty, but with just enough 80s urban influence to put Louis Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs’ signature spin on the retro looks.

    

    

  

After Vlad and Shannon gave us a preview of the LV Fall 2009 line, I have been having a LV itch for the Louis Vuitton Satin Plisse Matelasse. Now I am obsessed. This clutch is similar to the Limelight that everyone went nuts over, but it takes it to a new level, adding studs, a color combo, and satin and leather combo as well. The extraordinary Louis Vuitton Cancan Shoes will cost around $1350 while the Louis Vuitton Satin Plisse Matelasse will cost $2,575.

Check Louis Vuitton for more information.

Louis Vuitton brought us news and an image of the new Louis Vuitton Core Values icons. Say farewell to the Coppolas and hello to three new exceptional figures. Louis Vuitton commemorates the 40th anniversary of man’s conquest of the Moon and features Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, and Sally Ride as their Core Values icons.

The photograph by Annie Leibovitz is not only amazing but captivating, showing three individuals who have accomplished a similar feat which seemed unimaginable. Louis Vuitton has found a way to inspire with this Core Values Campaign and continues to reach above and beyond.

Buzz Aldrin, who in the course of the historic Apollo 11 mission with Neil Armstrong on 20th and 21st July 1969, became the second man to set foot upon the Moon; Jim Lovell, the commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in 1970, who −as the world watched with bated breath − heroically guided his crew back to the safety of Earth; and Sally Ride, who in 1983 became the first American woman to venture into space as a crew member on Space Shuttle Challenger.

The new visual, photographed once more by Annie Leibovitz, was shot on the high plateaux of the Californian desert, from where, on a clear night, the Moon takes on an almost supernatural intensity. The three astronauts are portrayed quietly surveying the sky from the battered pickup truck in which they have undertaken this journey together, each no doubt reliving an extraordinary memory. Beside them on the truck is Louis Vuitton’s Icare travel bag in Monogram canvas, an allusion to the mythological hero who also dreamed of flight. The tag line, in an echo of Neil Armstrong’s famous words in 1969, states: “Some journeys change mankind forever”.

Antoine Arnault, Head of Communications at Louis Vuitton, says: “With this latest impressive execution of the award-winning Core Values campaign, Louis Vuitton and its advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather have proved their ability to push the boundaries once again. Space represents the final frontier, and the Moon is the destination beyond which no man has yet travelled.”

Simultaneously, in its first integrated press and digital advertising campaign, Louis Vuitton is launching a dedicated website − louisvuittonjourneys.com – on which Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell and Sally Ride discuss how the experience of space changed their lives, offering a fascinating insight into Annie Leibovitz’s print visual. The site attains a degree of interactivity that is unprecedented for Louis Vuitton, enabling internet users to view the interviews as if they were actually present by, for example, playing them in any order they want, zooming in on an individual astronaut, or viewing the reactions of one astronaut to what another is saying. The interviews, which were filmed with three separate movie cameras to create a strange, gravity-defying ambiance, as if the astronauts were indeed in space, can also be downloaded to a computer, MP3 or mobile phone. Also featured on louisvuittonjourneys.com is a making-of video of the interviews, as well as a focus on The Climate Project, spearheaded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore, to which Louis Vuitton is making a donation on behalf of the three astronauts.

The Location

Shannon and I had high hopes that the event was going to take place in the flagship store on 5th Avenue, in our fantasies we had envisioned Vuitton clearing a whole floor off eager shoppers and letting the event attendees roam the palace freely.

The disappointment was only faint when a kind SA in the store pointed us to the adjacent building down 57th Street, where part of Louis Vuitton N.A.’s corporate headquarters are located. To my pleasant surprise, the showroom was presenting beautiful pieces of LV’s fall collection, some of which I captured on camera.

The Crowd

Overall, I believe a good 25 people circled in and out of the showroom during the two hours that we chatted, networked, analyzed and cooperated. The publishers invited were mainly local New York fashion bloggers, some of which included our good friends Daniel and Rebecca Saynt, Yuli Ziv, Wendy Lam and the ever-so-fabulous Gala Darling. There were more, sadly I had not the chance to meet everyone.

The Challenge

Purpose of the cocktail & hors d’œuvre hour with Vuitton’s CEO and the delightful Vuitton staff was to continue the ongoing dialogue between the fashion house and us online fashion publishers and bloggers.

Generally speaking, the big challenge faced by independent fashion bloggers is the hesitant recognition and support by well-established fashion houses. Despite the Internet realm and its fashion bloggers having massive customer outreach, strong influence on buying decisions and readerships that challenge long-time print magazines, the relationship between online publishers and companies like Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci and the likes, is still in its infancy. To continue the relationship analogy, fashion houses and traditional print media enjoy a long-lasting marriage with kids, while online publishers are just out on their first date, clumsy, nervous and dripping ice cream on the date’s shoes.

The Dialogue

Shannon and I actually had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and have a chat with Mr. Lalonde when he entered the showroom. To our astonishment, he seemed very receptive to our ideas and genuinely interested in our suggestions, requests and input. Not that we expected otherwise, but it was a very refreshing moment to realize that we were being heard and that we had (hopefully) contributed to paving the way for a closer relationship between publishers and LV. A very cool feeling to converse with a corporate head figure that makes decision on a daily basis that have an effect on millions of people. Humbling, really.

The CEO was not the only corporate figure in attendance that night. It was a sleek gentlemen who I met near the entrance of the showroom, who turned out to be the LV Director Of Advertising Eric Lichtmess. I noticed a yet-so-slight accent in his voice, it turned out that he was indeed from a city near where I grew up in Germany. We engaged in a very interesting discussion on general advertising strategies, Vuitton’s future plans in terms of online presence and devised plans for a possible collaboration. Very nice chap, a delight to talk to.

It was an absolute pleasure to meet everyone in attendance, including the PR managers (thank you Lesley) and other bloggers. Shannon and I had a great time and left the event with a feeling of accomplishment. The travels may have been crazy hectic, but there really is not a price tag on having opportunities, such as this one.

The Goods

We had the opportunity to capture some of the Fall 2009 collection accessories that were displayed in the showroom. Click each thumbnail for more information on the item!

   

   

   

   

   

Vlad was granted photography access as well, which means exclusive photos for all of you! While photos are an intricate look into this gathering, questions directly asked to the CEO would share even more information on the much-loved Louis Vuitton. We can make no promises, but what if we were able to ask the CEO of Louis Vuitton some questions? If we are lucky we may snag a few minutes of Daniel LaLonde’s time and if we like your questions, we may put them on our list!

If you could ask Daniel Lalonde, the CEO of Louis Vuitton North America, anything what would it be?

And I totally get that’s it’s all in good fun and totally hilarious and kitschy, but seriously, a beach towel? Something made specifically for putting on the ground and messing up with Corona, sunscreen, and sand? At this point, all it elicited from me was a serious eye-roll. I know that people with money to spend will spend it as they please, as well they should, but I think we may be beginning to stretch the bounds of reasonableness. Maybe I just feel like that because of the price, however – if this was $150, I probably just would have chuckled and moved on, and wouldn’t even be writing about it right now. But it’s not, it’s three times that, and that’s not a typo. It’s also something that I can simply not abide. Buy via Vuitton.com for $450.

We had the opportunity to pick brains at Louis Vuitton’s North American Corporate headquarters, read more about LV’s continued involvement below.

PB: With so many organizations to choose from, what was the appeal in partnering with The Climate Project?

The Climate Project has made great strides in educating people all over the world about climate change and the solutions that will be necessary to solve the crisis. Louis Vuitton is a company steeped in the tradition of transmitting heritage, and has always has a special interest in sustainable development. In recent years, Louis Vuitton has concentrated its efforts on reducing its Carbon Footprint, because as a result of our geographic expansion and of our business model, we have realized that air transportation of products is the primary source of our greenhouse gas emissions. The company now favors transport of products by ship, far mre environmentally friendly than transport by air (as of today, 60% of all leather goods are transported by ship).

PB: We read that Louis Vuitton has made efforts to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment. What have you done to decrease the company’s carbon footprint?

We implemented the Carbon Inventory in 2004. This Inventory has allowed us to accurately measure the impact of our activities on the environment. Since then we have been efficient in modifying our organization and reducing our carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, this initiative has raised environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility of staff members throughout the company. To name a few examples, we have:

• reviewed transportation methods of products (use of sea, river and
  rail wherever and whenever possible)
• reviewed packaging (use of eco-labelled paper for all packaging)
• reviewed store energy consumption (all new stores consume 30% less energy due to new lighting concept)
• reviewed all environmental friendly actions at Louis Vuitton headquarters (which has received the ISO 14001 certification in Octobern 2008)
• created green buildings (Louis Vuitton central warehouse in Cergy, France (2007); Louis Vuitton Shoes Workshop in Fiesso, Italy (2009)…)
• created an internal “Environment Task Force” worldwide to exchange best practices between different regions and countries

PB: What are your immediate expectations with your partnership with TCP, and do you foresee these types of collaborations extending into the rest of the fashion industry?

Environmental sustainability concerns all of us. The luxury industry, which is synonymous with beauty and excellence, must strive even harder than others to be exemplary in preservation of the environment. As a leader in luxury, Louis Vuitton has the responsibility to intensify its efforts to reduce its environmental impact of its activities, and also to raise awareness by encouraging a collective commitment both inside and outside the company. Partnering with The Climate Project, known worldwide for its actions and its achievements, enables us to promote awareness of the climate change and what can be done to help.

PB: Can we expect to see any eco-friendly pieces by Louis Vuitton, namely a handbag?
We are focusing on the most important and urgent matter, which is to reduce energy consumption resulted from transportation and other activities. Ecological products is not a priority in this sense how ever new eco-friendly materials are constantly proposed as an alternative.

Hermes does Bugatti, Smart cars, Citroen 2CV. I have a real soft spot for these types of collaborations, it is the best of two worlds gracefully fused into one. Very exclusive, very expensive, very delicate, and very awesome.

The owner of this pickup truck took matters into his own hands and created his own fashionable rendition of the Louis Vuitton Monogram Dodge RAM 1500. Featuring a HEMI engine, three alloys, extended cab, an all-around black-on-white Monogram print, as well as two black monogramed racing stripes down the length of the truck, this truck is guaranteed to turn the heads of the local South Floridians. It sure turned our heads on the way down to Key West last week.

Verdict: Craptastic. I’d give it a 9/10 for effort, but poor marks on originality and execution. Though the owner’s no Britney Spears, I’d be prepared for a possible lawsuit.

As with all Neverfulls, I wish the strap was thicker, and if it was it would make a perfect school bag for a college kid that has everything (and I knew one or two of those during my undergrad years). Because of the utter ridiculousness of the bag – orange writing over brown and tan monogram – it’s one of those bags that you really wouldn’t need to try and match to anything. It’s iconic enough on it’s own that the only thing I would seriously advise against wearing it with would be another bold pattern. Other than that, go to town – wear it with whatever, but be proud. It’s the type of bag that you really have to own to pull it off. Buy through eLuxury for $1290.

Sprouse was a pop artist and punk icon of the 1980s, and the loud colors and louder shapes of his work reflect the exuberance of youth culture during that decade. I adored the leopard print Sprouse scarf that made such a big impression last year, and in this year’s full collection of the artist’s inspired work, my favorite is, again, a scarf – The Louis Vuitton Monogram Roses Stole. It’s bright pink and red with huge pop art roses, and it makes me smile just looking at it. It takes a talented man to make a floral print into something edgy and punk, don’t you think? Some people love this stuff, and some people hate it, but our own Louis Vuitton forum proves that everyone loves to talk about it – and that seems to be Marc Jacobs’s entire intention. Buy through eLuxury for $890.

Make sure to read up on how to win your very own Louis Vuitton: The Stephen Sprouse Book!

Eluxury promises that this set includes three “luxurious” decks of cards, so please, help me brainstorm in the comments – exactly how does one make playing cards luxurious? The first thing that came to my mind was having the symbols ever so carefully covered in close-cropped mink, making them slightly furry. How would you do it? Buy through eLuxury for $105.