By Alina Cho / May 17, 2026 / CBS News
Outside Paris, in an unassuming building, a carefully curated archive preserves more than a century of Louis Vuitton artifacts. The collection is part museum, part workshop — a place Nicolas Ghesquière calls “intimidating,” and one where he finds the house’s hidden stories and inspirations.
Those stories begin with Louis Vuitton himself. Born in 1821, the trunk-maker changed travel by inventing a flat, stackable trunk to replace rounded-top luggage. The simple functional improvement became the foundation for a luxury empire: utility combined with exquisite craftsmanship, and eventually the iconic interlocking LV that is now one of the most recognized and copied symbols in the world.
“I’m fascinated that the first was function, and then, of course, this absolutely exquisite elaboration that defines what is luxury,” Ghesquière says. For him, design at Vuitton is a balancing act between utility, craft, and forward-looking ideas.
That commitment to craft remains literal and ongoing: Pierre-Louis Vuitton, a direct descendant of the founder, still oversees the family workshop on the outskirts of Paris, where trunks are made by hand to the same standards established 172 years ago. “When they make a trunk, it’s not a trunk for a day, it’s not a trunk for a week; it’s a trunk for life,” he says.
Ghesquière approaches each collection as if opening a trunk of memories. He imagines what might be inside — the books, colors, and stories that define a person — and translates those ideas into clothing and accessories. One emblematic piece of that translation is the Petite Malle: a miniature trunk turned clutch, often lined in sheepskin and just large enough for a phone and keys. It ties the brand’s 19th-century origins to modern, wearable luxury.
For Ghesquière, surprising details are essential. “It could be a classic surprise, a colorful one, or something completely experimental,” he says. Fashion thrives on novelty; people want newness and a way to stand apart. That impulse informs both the house’s seasonal collections and special collaborations.
Ghesquière previewed a collection slated to show in New York this week that includes a collaboration with the estate of the late artist Keith Haring — work that will appear on clothes and bags. Louis Vuitton continues to show its collections in cultural spaces as well: its 2026 cruise collection debuts at New York’s Frick Collection on May 20.
Today Louis Vuitton is widely regarded as the world’s largest luxury brand. But Ghesquière warns that the company’s scale must not intimidate the creative process: every small decision carries outsized economic and cultural impact.
The ongoing story of Louis Vuitton is one of continuity and reinvention — a house rooted in a functional invention, maintained through traditional craft, and repeatedly reimagined by designers who keep looking forward.
For more information: louisvuitton.com
Story produced by Mikaela Bufano. Editor: Remington Korper.