Louis Vuitton presents its collection of trunks and bags in Paris courtesy of Art Basel

It’s hard not to see. A huge Louis Vuitton trunk catches the attention of visitors at the entrance to Paris by Art Basel at the Grand Palais Ephémère in Paris. This gigantic model reproduces the latest Mail Trunk designed in copper by Pharrell Williams, artistic director of men’s collections. It was unveiled last June at his parade in Pont Neuf, Paris. Here, the giant installation serves as a showcase for this new exhibition, which is donating the trunk at the contemporary art fair, which runs through Sunday. The brand does not come alone, but accompanied by Damien Hirst, Stephen Sprouse and Takashi Murakami.

We knew the connections between the luxury home and the art worlds over the past hundred and fifty years (we especially remember Salvador Dali’s “Daligram” canvas). The exhibition explores the relationship between artists and legendary home accessories. So the trunk maker is showing off one of two surgical trunks designed by British artist Damien Hirst to house its line of instruments. Also present is the Alma bag made of pink patent leather, made by Marc Jacobs in collaboration with the American artist Stephen Sprouse. Iconic model. He is the one who really initiated the dialogue between the luxury brand and the international artists who were invited to review the iconic bags.

The it-bag, arty version

This artistic conversation gave birth to a permanent concept called the Artichoke. Since 2019, Louis Vuitton has entrusted the reinterpretation of its Capucine bag to five or six artists, depending on the year. Produced in 200 copies, then sold for 9,200 euros, each model is numbered and then becomes a collector’s item. This was reminiscent of last July’s auction at Sotheby’s where we saw some bags go up in price. Enthusiasts will be able to see nearly twenty showcases dedicated to the wall, including newly revealed new collaborations. Among them is one created by South African artist Billy Zangeva, who has recreated his work Swimming lesson (2020). A poolside moment with son Micah, where high-definition trompe l’oeil prints mingle with vibrant embroidery.