Louis Vuitton opens its first Maison in China at Shanghai’s Plaza 66, its 16th worldwide.
July 26th, 2012
Singapore has its Maison Louis Vuitton ‘island’ at Marina Bay Sands, now China has its first – covering 4 levels at Shanghai’s Plaza 66.
Once again, the French luxury brand has enlisted architect Peter Marino to design the space.
Like all Louis Vuitton Maisons, the address at Plaza 66 is conceived as a travel destination in its own right.
On the ground floor, guests are first greeted by a five-metre high ‘pagoda’, a polished sculpture in stainless steel by Chinese artist Qiu Zhijie that sits at the foot of an oval gilded staircase at the heart of the store.
An oval skylight illuminates the gallery-like spaces, which are dedicated to leather goods, ready-to-wear for women and men, luggage, watches and jewellery, shoes and rare products. Meanwhile, planted terraces on the second and third floor overlook Nanjing West Road, encouraging visitors to take time to relax and enjoy the view.
Apart from the ‘pagoda’ on the ground floor, other specially commissioned artworks by Chinese and international artists highlight a sense of discovery. A sculpture by New York-based Teresita Fernandez hangs from the ceiling in the watch and jewellery space; art pieces by Anselm Reyle and Lionel Esteve can be found in the men’s and women’s fashion areas respectively; and travel-themed photographs by Jean Larivière can be admired near the service desks.
Guests privileged enough to receive a personal invitation to visit Louis Vuitton’s collections of Haute Maroquinerie in the fourth-floor private Apartment will also be welcomed by yet more artwork, including a wall sculpture by Chinese artist Gao Weigang, a unique painting by Bernand Frize and a series of photographs by Isaac Julien.
To commemorate the opening in Shanghai and to underscore the brand’s time-honoured links to travel, the Louis Vuitton Express made its journey east across two continents from Paris to Shanghai, reaching the famous Bund in Shanghai on 19 July. Blogger and photographer Todd Selby of The Selby was one of the lucky travellers! See his journey here.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Create a configuration to suit your needs with this curved collection.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
It’s comfortable, it moves with you like a second skin, and it sports a cool look and friendly vibe. Wilkhahn’s IN chair is like a pair of designer sneakers. And it’s not just a visual effect.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
With Milan 2024 only a few weeks away, we sneak a view of some of the most exciting pieces set to go on show – from lighting design to furniture, here are nine preview products.
From a modular armchair and statement lighting, to a table crafted from coffee waste and reissued classics, these are the best new products to launch at this year’s Milan Design Week.
Melbourne’s Wall to Wall festival has just taken place, transforming neglected urban spaces into vibrant hubs of creativity through large-scale mural works by renowned artists.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.