It’s not that the French fashion and luxury luggage brand Louis Vuitton has been keeping a low profile.
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| Louis Vuitton luggage remains one of today's most sought-after in vintage markets. These were seen at the interiorboutiques.com stand at the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London, January 22 - 26 2025. Photo by Lucia Carpio |
Just last week, on the opening day of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Louis Vuitton unveiled its Fall/Winter 2025 menswear collection, helmed by artistic director Pharrell Williams. The show generated significant media buzz, largely due to its collaboration with Japanese designer Nigo. A nostalgic ode to the 2000s, the collection reflected the duo’s 20-year relationship, dating back to their work on Billionaire Boys Club in 2004.
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| Historically, Louis Vuitton luggage was used by royalty, aristocrats, and celebrities. Owning a vintage piece is often seen as owning a piece of history. |
Then, this week, came another major announcement: Louis Vuitton will be the title sponsor of Formula One’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16, 2025. With prominent trackside signage, the official race name will be the Formula One Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix, featuring LV-designed trophy trunks on the podium. This partnership falls under the 10-year sponsorship deal that Louis Vuitton’s parent company, LVMH, signed with Liberty Media-owned Formula One last October—covering brands such as Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy, and TAG Heuer.
Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton’s long-standing collaboration with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, LV is relaunching the collection with a campaign fronted by Hollywood star Zendaya, who was only eight years old when the original collaboration debuted. Murakami’s vibrant and playful designs made a major impact two decades ago, and the new “extensive re-edition” includes over 200 pieces, ranging from bags and footwear to fragrances and sunglasses.
Yet, despite this flurry of high-profile projects, Louis Vuitton was noticeably absent from the latest Lyst Index ranking of the world’s hottest brands.
This week, when global fashion search platform Lyst released its Q4 2024 Lyst Index—a quarterly ranking of fashion’s most sought-after brands—Louis Vuitton failed to make the Top 20.
Lyst, which tracks over 200 million shoppers annually, compiles the Index based on online searches, product views, sales, and social media engagement over a three-month period. According to Lyst, 2024 was a year of transformation in fashion, with consumers reassessing the value of luxury labels. Miu Miu dominated, taking the No.1 spot in three of the last four quarters, with Loewe briefly disrupting its streak in Q2. Prada remained a consistent Top 3 brand, while Saint Laurent climbed steadily within the Top 5.
The rest of the ranking saw significant movement, reflecting shifts in consumer preferences. Notably, Coach skyrocketed 10 places to No.5, experiencing a 332% year-on-year surge in demand thanks to a Gen Z-focused strategy and strong holiday sales.
LV’s menswear AW25 collection, blending streetwear influences with its luxury heritage, showcased boxy bomber jackets, distorted camouflage, checked Damier prints, shaggy cardigans, and flared denim. While tailoring was minimal, the collection embraced bold accessories, catering to younger consumers with chunky furry slippers, miniature bags, phone cases, backpacks, and even travel trunks.
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| An antique Louis Vuitton steamer trunk or wardrobe trunk in excellent condition is valued for its age, provenance, and rarity. Unique features like custom monograms, original interiors, and labels from different boutiques add to their value. | These were spotted at the interiorboutiques.com stand during the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London, in January 2025. |
It’s a stark contrast from the brand’s origins in luxury travel trunks. Yet, despite the shift in aesthetic, Louis Vuitton luggage remains one of today's most sought-after categories, both in contemporary and vintage markets.
With a legacy dating back to the mid-19th century, Louis Vuitton trunks and suitcases are crafted from premium materials like canvas, leather, and brass hardware, ensuring their durability and timeless appeal. The classic monogram canvas, Damier checkered print, and other signature motifs have never gone out of style, making vintage pieces highly coveted by collectors. Vintage trunks are often used as statement pieces in home decor. Their timeless elegance makes them versatile as coffee tables, storage units, or conversation starters.
Perhaps, in today’s volatile fashion landscape, Louis Vuitton should consider refocusing on its core business—luxuriously crafted travel trunks and luggage—an evergreen symbol of prestige, heritage, and craftsmanship.
The vintage Louis Vuitton luggage featured here were spotted at the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London from January 22 - 26 2025. The fair offered a unique mix of antiques, design and art for interiors and exteriors as well as collectable pieces of outstanding craftsmanship. All photos by Lucia Carpio.
Market update:
In the week of January 29, reports emerged that French luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) faced declines in both revenue and profit, reflecting the impact of challenging market conditions in fiscal year 2024.
For the year, group revenue totaled €84.7 billion, marking a 2% decrease compared to the record-breaking figures of 2023. However, on an organic basis—adjusted for currency fluctuations and portfolio changes—revenue showed a modest 1% increase. In the final quarter, the group also achieved 1% organic revenue growth, surpassing market expectations.
Performance by Division
Fashion & Leather Goods (including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Loewe, Givenchy, and Celine) recorded €41.1 billion in revenue, a 3% decline (organically -1%) from the previous year.
Wines & Spirits saw an 11% revenue drop (organically -8%), bringing in €5.9 billion.
Watches & Jewelry declined by 3% (organically -2%) to €10.6 billion.
Perfumes & Cosmetics was a bright spot, growing 2% (organically +4%) to €8.4 billion.
Selective Retailing—which includes DFS, Sephora, and Le Bon Marché—increased 2% (organically +6%) to €18.3 billion.
Profit Decline
LVMH’s profitability also took a hit:
Profit from recurring operations dropped 14%, totaling €19.6 billion.
Net profit attributable to shareholders fell 17% to approximately €12.5 billion.
Despite the declines, LVMH remains the world’s largest luxury group, navigating economic headwinds while maintaining growth in selective areas.
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