Louis Vuitton debuts in hospitality: its French headquarters will become a hotel
Always, in every corner of the world, Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with high fashion. Of iconic bags, of designer garments. However [...]
Always, in every corner of the world, Louis Vuitton Is synonymous with high fashion. Of iconic bags, of designer garments. Yet over the past 160 years, the French Maison has expanded beyond luggage and leather goods through fashion and accessories to temporary restaurants and interactive exhibitions. The latest? Its debut in thehospitality.
Louis Vuitton enters hospitality: what we know
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Louis Vuitton wants to expand, and is planning its first hotel and its largest store on the planet. Where, needless to say, the choice has fallen on Paris.
President and CEO Michael Burke told Women's Wear Daily that, the brand's headquarters in Paris, will soon be transformed into a gigantic complex with the world's first Louis Vuitton hotel e the largest LV boutique ever.
With spectacular views stretching from the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame Cathedral, the historic Vuitton building is located next to the church of Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, in the first arrondissement. A neighborhood that, once a "no man's land," has been radically transformed precisely by Louis Vuitton. "Parisians are finally rediscovering him. They have embraced it" said Burke. Who went on to explain how Bernard Arnault , chairman and chief executive officer of the world's largest luxury conglomerate, is just getting started: his plans to bring more offices, stores, housing, restaurants and cultural activities to the area have now taken off.
The colossal transformation will begin on December 12, with the launch of a new experiential installation entitled "LV Dream". A 40,000-square-foot pop-up will house an exhibition dedicated to the Maison's collaborations with artists, a café, a chocolate store led by Cheval Blanc Paris' head pastry chef, and a gift store. The temporary space, which is expected to remain open for a year, will most likely be transformed into Louis Vuitton's largest store, according to Burke. L'hotel should occupy another section of the building, about the size of the 800,000 square meters, and it should see the light within the next five years.
The Cheval Blanc Experience
The plans reflect a growing push by fashion and luxury brands toward hospitality: consumers are willing to spend more, to have a real experience. "This is what our clients want from us. They want a 24/7 relationship." Burke said.
Although the hotel will be the first under the Louis Vuitton brand, it will not be the first hotel for parent company LVMH. At its core, it also owns the luxury boutique hotel brand Cheval Blanc And the high-end hospitality group Belmond.
Although the Cheval Blanc Paris rises within walking distance of Vuitton's headquarters, Burke says LV's hotel will pose no threat. "It will have its own identity, its own segment and its own service-it will be a completely different experience" he stated.
Opened in September 2021 and designed by architect Peter Marino, the Cheval Blanc Paris is the brand's first urban hotel (which boasts resorts in Saint Barth, Saint Tropez, the Maldives, and Courchevel). Overlooking the Seine, it boasts a thirty-meter-long pool with a mirrored ceiling and is a riot of artwork in the public areas.
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