How and why Louis Vuitton tried their hands in thin handles.
When Louis Vuitton decided to complete his sentence with writing instruments back in 2013, many pen fans frowned. It was like invading net ownership by commercializing major fashion brands.
Why did Louis Vuitton continue to produce writing instruments? And was this good or bad news for the writing community?
When Marc Jacobs accepted the position of creative director of the accused Louis Vuitton, a new era began for the French Maison. An American with a keen sense of fashion, as well as a brilliant business with a global vision, Jacobs updated the company's image. During his time at Vuitton, he established many successful partnerships with leading artists, such as Takashi Murakami or Stephan Sprouse, who transferred to tremendous success for the brand and its parent company LVMH. This fruitful direction prompted the brand to the 21st century.
One of the new pillows in the world strategy of domination has been branched into all categories that you could imagine: small leather goods, ready-to-wear accessories, shoes, jewelry and watches, glasses, books, and even writing materials. Thus, Louis Vuitton, expanding into writing instruments, would not come as a surprise. However, it is more.
After years of prosperous expansion in Eldorado East Asia, the image of Louis Vuitton returned to his European backwoods. While in Asia, the brand became one of the hottest possessions in Europe and other western markets, Vuitton became associated with conspicuous consumption and excess. Western society, while generating most of the big dollars - brands with a big name are surprisingly restrained. Understanding is an integral part of style and elegance. Large flash monograms - pretty bad taste.
Any strong brand should update its image from time to time. “You have to surprise and have fun, otherwise you will get boring,” said Marc Jacobs at the Paris Fashion Week in 2012. This is a good way to refresh this image and make a new story. And here are the luxurious pens.
The goal is not to take on Montblanc, as some have suggested. Writing instruments represent a unique opportunity to create an image of the patron of art and culture. Making a profit is probably secondary (stating that I am sure it is very profitable). The consolidation of the brand image is important. The dates are good, since nostalgia for traveling, searching and, of course, writing comes back. Nostalgia is a powerful marketing tool.
In 2012, an exhibition of Louis Vuitton, a temporary literary exhibition called “Art and Art”, opened in Paris, demonstrating art and a selection of books on literature and travel.
Since the end of this exhibition in 2013, the brand opened an experimental one year only boutique dedicated to writing instruments and stationary. The named cabinet was founded in the fashionable Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A place that made sense in this was a traditional area where intellectuals met to exchange ideas and create history in the process. The famous Cafe de Flore, where Ernest Hemingway or Truman Capote is written in notebooks, is just around the corner. In addition, Hemingway had a custom trunk from LV, in which he kept these precious stationery and books. Therefore, literature, writers and writing tools have been associated with the brand for a long time.
To celebrate the opening of a new store, House ordered a dozen French writers to write stories for a collection based on the historic trunks of Gaston-Louis Viitton.
When Breguet decided that they wanted a fine pen, they went to Montegappo. When Smithson from Bond Street wanted to get a thin pen, they went to Yard-O-Lad. Louis Vuitton went to ST Dupont. The deal is quite significant for Dupont, but both companies refused to disclose any details regarding the deal.
The new range of writing tools promised innovation, quality and luxury. Fountain pens have a patented system (it is not clear whether it belongs to ST Dupont or LV), which causes them to leak when traveling in style at high altitude. It is known that fountains have a dirty habit of flowing due to changes in air pressure. The finish, pattern and design is the Dupont level, but Vuitton. In my opinion, a happy marriage of quality and style.
Really modern and innovative tools include aluminum, gold, palladium trim, iridium tips, guilloches, enamel, exotic skins and much more. Some of them are made in France, and others in Germany.
There are three collections of Spirit of Vuitton, Cargo and Grand Tour; plus a model for agendas. Each collection consists of a different travel reference. Cargo and Grand Tour are obvious, and Spirit of Vuitton refers to the plane of Louis Lindberg.
To preserve the exclusivity, there is no half measures. The offered ink tanks are made in Baccarat crystal. The choice is rich and creative. Brun Ténébreux Vuitton symbolic color is available along other poetically sounding inks, such as Gris romantique, Blue sibylin, Violet malicieux, Blue rêveur, Rose espiègle, Rouge gourmand and Or audacieux. We are told that the reason ink flows very well is that it is specially designed with dyes that do not clog the thread and the feeder pen.
If the right places are found, the company plans to open writing instruments and stationary stores in Tokyo and New York. This indicates a brand commitment, but also has commercial diets. The luxury stationary brand Smythson of Bond Street is a good example of a thriving luxury stationary business.
While lovers of the old school infantry may remain suspicious of large fashion brands, we believe that this is the way to write tools. Reintegrate yourself, like the luxury watch industry in the 90s, from utilitarian items to cool fashion accessories or at the risk of becoming obsolete, irrelevant and dying, like many historical pen companies.
