On June 28, Louis Vuitton officially unveiled a new retail space, “The Louis,” in Shanghai’s Nanjing West Road business district. Located within the upscale HKRI Taikoo Hui shopping mall, the life-sized cruise ship-inspired structure fuses the maison’s heritage of crafting travel trunks with the maritime spirit of Shanghai, resulting in an unprecedented immersive retail experience.
The exterior of the ship-shaped building features a gleaming monogram surface and an upper structure made of stacked, zinc-coated trunks. Situated in the heart of the city, the stationary vessel serves as a cultural hub that bridges Louis Vuitton’s storied past with its forward-looking future.
Wu Yue, President of LVMH Greater China, commented, “This ship-shaped decoration echoes Shanghai’s urban spirit of ‘embracing all rivers and seas’ and showcases its international outlook of innovation and forward momentum.”
Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, added, “The shop embodies the brand’s ‘spirit of travelling’ through ideas, emotions and inspiration, in a joyful way.”
A Brand Experience at the Crossroads of Architecture, Exhibition, and Hospitality
Spanning approximately 1,600 square meters, “The Louis” integrates retail, exhibition, and café elements into one seamless, experiential luxury destination — an embodiment of Louis Vuitton’s evolving approach to customer engagement.
The centerpiece of the experience is the “Louis Vuitton Extraordinary Journey” exhibition, occupying around 1,207 square meters across the first and second floors. Curated by Shohei Shigematsu, a New York-based partner of the renowned architecture firm OMA, the exhibition is divided into 10 thematic rooms that explore Louis Vuitton’s relationship with maritime culture, craftsmanship, travel, knowledge, sport, and fashion.
Highlights include the Perfume Room, which features vintage toiletry kits that capture the intangible luxury of scent; the Book Room, showcasing writings and lecture archives from Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the founder’s grandson; and the Sports Room, where bespoke trunks and gear created for events such as Formula 1, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympics are displayed, reinforcing the brand’s ties to global culture.
The Workshop and Testing rooms offer a behind-the-scenes look at Louis Vuitton’s artisanship, allowing visitors to witness traditional craftsmanship in action — a testament to the maison’s dedication to quality and detail.
Notably, this exhibition is scheduled to travel to Japan, where it will be held at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka from July 15 to September 17.
Le Café Louis Vuitton: A Gastronomic Voyage Debuts in Shanghai
On the third floor, Louis Vuitton introduces Le Café Louis Vuitton, marking the brand’s first café in Shanghai. The bistro-style venue features a menu crafted by Executive Chef Leonardo Zambrino, who earned a Michelin star at The Hall by Louis Vuitton in Chengdu, in collaboration with Pastry Chef Zoe Zhou. Together, they present a culinary dialogue between Shanghai’s local ingredients and classic French techniques.
Signature dishes include the Monogram Ravioli, a Chinese-style dumpling stamped with the maison’s iconic motif, and the Caesar Salad Eclipse, accented with yuzu dressing. For dessert, highlights include the Peach Charlotte with Jasmine Tea and a tropical Pavlova, offering a multisensory finale to the experience.
A Cultural Flagship for a New Era
This initiative goes far beyond the conventional notion of opening a new store — it represents the forefront of Louis Vuitton’s global strategy to elevate retail into a cultural experience.
Once a vessel that carried travelers’ belongings, the Louis Vuitton trunk now embarks on a new voyage as a carrier of memory and meaning — a cultural vessel navigating between city and people, past and future.
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