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Louis Vuitton ‘Bed Trunk’ Luxurious Archival Piece As Reimagined by Pharrell Williams and Nicolas Ghesquière

September 25, 2024

As the art of travel evolves, Louis Vuitton has set the bar high for luxurious wanderlust by revisiting its storied past. The French Maison has unveiled two striking new iterations of its iconic Bed Trunk, reimagined by the creative powerhouses Nicolas Ghesquière and Pharrell Williams. These modern marvels pay homage to a legacy that began in 1868, when Louis Vuitton first conceived the Bed Trunk to revolutionize comfort for globe-trotting explorers.

Louis Vuitton's innovative spirit on display: Artisans pose with the pioneering Bed Trunk, late 1800s.

A Tale of Two Trunks

Ghesquière, the artistic director of women's collections, has transformed the Bed Trunk into a captivating juxtaposition of future and fantasy. The exterior, inspired by his Cruise 2023 collection, features engraved metal plates and modernized corner pieces that evoke a dystopian sci-fi realm. In stark contrast, the interior unfolds to reveal a mattress adorned with dreamy floral patterns, echoing his Spring-Summer 2018 collection. This unexpected fusion of harsh metallic elements and soft, romantic florals creates a visual narrative that is quintessentially Ghesquière.

Nicolas Ghesquière's Bed Trunk: Futuristic exterior meets romantic florals, redefining travel luxury.

Pharrell Williams' Dandy Nostalgia

Men's creative director Pharrell Williams has reinterpreted a historic Bed Trunk from the archives with his signature dandy flair. The exterior showcases a distressed striped pattern, an homage to the legendary 1872 canvas that cemented Louis Vuitton's reputation in luxury travel. Inside, the theme continues with bold stripes, while the jacquard mattress and pillow feature Williams' distinctive "LV Lovers" embroidery—a hallmark of his fresh vision for the brand.

Vintage Louis Vuitton advertisement for the Convertible bed-trunk with Paris and London store locations.
Pharrell Williams' Bed Trunk: A luxe blend of heritage stripes and modern 'LV Lovers' flair atop Paris.

The Art of Comfort

Both iterations build upon the Classic Bed Trunk released in April, which features the iconic Monogram canvas. At their core, these trunks are marvels of engineering and comfort. Each houses a folding bed frame crafted from aluminum and beechwood, that supports a luxurious four-part mattress. The addition of a tiltable headrest and an optional beechwood bedside table transforms these trunks from mere luggage into portable sanctuaries.

Louis Vuitton's Classic Bed Trunk: Monogram luxury meets portable comfort, a traveler's dream.

A Collector's Investment

For those with a penchant for haute couture and wanderlust, these Bed Trunks represent the pinnacle of collectible luxury. Ghesquière's creation, priced at approximately $257,000, will be showcased at the Louis Vuitton store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Williams' design, available for about $221,000, will grace the Savoir Rêver Louis Vuitton event at the Hôtel Cheval Blanc in Paris. Both are available for order, offering connoisseurs the chance to own a piece of history.

The Legacy Continues

In reimagining the Bed Trunk, Louis Vuitton transcends mere homage to heritage, boldly redefining the zenith of luxury travel. These avant-garde creations surpass the realm of mere luggage; they are living tableaux, embodying the intoxicating allure of wanderlust, the pinnacle of French savoir-faire, and the transformative power of visionary design. For the global cognoscenti who perceive travel as the ultimate canvas for self-expression, the Louis Vuitton Bed Trunk stands alone—an unrivaled totem of peripatetic extravagance, where function and fantasy seamlessly intertwine.