marc newson redesigns iconic louis vuitton luggage using soft thermo-formed textiles

marc newson collaborated with louis vuitton once again, this time on a second luggage collection that transforms the fashion brand’s iconic designs. ‘travel’ — a new collection of rolling suitcases — reinterprets the famous travel trunk, replacing the hard outer-shell with a soft thermo-formed 3D knit and featuring newson’s interpretation of louis vuitton’s signature monogram.

images courtesy of marc newson / louis vuitton

the one-piece knit is fully-fashioned in a custom made technical yarn that includes elastic and thermo-fusible threads, using seamless knitting technology. the knit is then given a water repellent treatment before being heat formed to give the object its shape. cuts for pockets and zips are made with ultra-sound cutting techniques and traditional stitching, 95% of which has been eliminated, is replaced with tape fused through heat setting.

created for the modern traveller, the colorful 4-wheeled check-in and cabin-size luggage feature large interior capacity and lightness. new technologies and endless testing during the development process meant marc newson has ensured that weight has been reduced to a minimum and volume has been maximised. the cabin size weighs in at a mere 2.9 kilos.

‘after starting with hard luggage where the parameters are naturally more defined and rigid, we have embarked upon stage two, which is the soft version’, explains newson. ‘I had to identify a suitable technology to give the project validity, I had to have a reason, something really compelling to kick the project off. that was to be the technology, which was not so much a technology, more of a process or a technique, a process that I was aware of through various other projects that I had been doing and essentially it’s knitting‘.

newson has custom designed every single component, there is not one ‘off-the-shelf’ component used. this includes an ergonomic aluminium 3-digit combination zip-pull lock system that is TSA approved and can be operated with just the one hand. the lock comes in silver, champagne or dark grey finish. two miniature wheels have also been engineered to be as silent as possible.

like horizon, newson’s first luggage collection for louis vuitton which launched in 2016, the anodised aluminium extendable cane has been relocated outside from within the luggage. this adds both structure and strength, as well as substantially increasing the all-important interior packing space, removing the bumps and ridges of traditional internal cane mechanisms.

one element that reflects a historic louis vuitton trunk is the cane handle which is covered in cowhide leather. however, the leather has been specifically sourced and cut to offer maximum comfort when in use and minimum volume when out of use, a handy feature when dealing with scrupulous restrictions of international airlines. the new rolling luggage collection is available in store and online.

project info

designer: marc newson

manufacturer: louis vuitton