Combining cars and fine leather goods isn’t a new idea; I remember seeing commercials for limited edition Lexus sedans upholstered in Coach leather (and with a matching set of Coach luggage) when I was a kid, and Hermes has kitted out concept cars by everyone from Hyundai to Bugatti. The latest automaker-luxury goods duo to give the idea a whirl is BMW and Louis Vuitton, and they’ve just launched the Louis Vuitton x BMW i8 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber Luggage at select LV boutiques worldwide.
Instead of having Louis Vuitton upholster its new i8 sports cars (which are $136,000 plug-in carbon fiber hybrids) like some car companies have done in the past, BMW took a slightly different track: it had Vuitton design a set of carbon fiber luggage specifically tailored to the car’s cargo areas. In addition to that meaning that these familiar Vuitton shapes have been modified for the collection, it means that this particular Damier is an entirely new textile for the brand, instead of the coated canvas Damier that we all know and love. According to Vuitton, the use of carbon fiber makes the luggage, like the car, ultra light but very durable.
The combination is a smart one; buyers in the market a six-figure sports car who choose to spend their money on something that makes as big of a statement as a first-of-its-kind plug-in BMW are both of the consumer class that can afford custom designer luggage to match a car and aware enough of how people perceive luxury goods to be interested in buying it. Not only that, but the press surrounding such a collaboration allows both companies to get in front of the others’ audiences, which include a lot of desirable potential customers beyond just those who can afford each brand’s top-end goods.
The luggage will be available April 1, and, naturally, the prices aren’t being disclosed at this time. If you want it, whether or not you have the correct car to nestle it in, it’ll be available upon request at Louis Vuitton boutiques in Munich, Milan, London, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, New York and Los Angeles. Check out more photos of the collaboration below.
