Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Tuesday Trunk Tidbitz
Presenting my fourth in the series of Tuesday Trunk Tidbitz is this wonderful Steamer in Damier Canvas.
The Damier was invented by Louis Vuitton himself in 1888 and was the first to be patented. Well, into it's second century the Damier has retained its freshness and continues to delight Vuitton Lovers everywhere. It was resurrected to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the company in 1996 and has become a standard staple since then. In November 2006 a new interpretation of the canvas was introduced, the Damier Azur. The rectangular steamer featured here contains three interior trays and has the previous owner's initials stenciled into the canvas. A band of white and blue winds its way around the whole piece. Truly, a wonderful Vuitton trunk. See auction at ebay. Ended at $6500.00
MOCA Museum Murakami Exhibit
There is a buzz that the upcoming exhibit of Takashi Murakami's work at the Geffen Contemporary at Moca will have an exclusive LV boutique that comes with it. As you well all know, Murakami is a great contributor to the Vuitton aesthetic with his whimsical characters and the introduction of the Multicolore line. Exhibit opens on October 29, 2007. How LVoely is that???!!! Hmmm...I think an trip to California is in order.
Monday, July 30, 2007
I'm glad I'm not the only one...
Posted by melikemochi from the Purse ForumI thought it might be nice for us LV fanatics to make a list of flaws to check for when buying LV. It might be helpful for some. For those, who like my sister, don't care much to check anything when purchasing, just ignore this thread.
Important things to check for (to the extreme):
-alignment: make sure the fleurs and other symbols match up; make sure the material is smooth where they are sewn together and not bent.
- bubbles: make sure canvas is sewn so that the bag stands well and does not have canvas that bubbles up a bit (this sort of looks like a fold) the entire piece of canvas should be uniform in terms of how much it sticks out. I hope this makes sense, its a bit hard to describe. My cousin bought my aunt a hudson and he did not check it well and her bag has this flaw. She noticed it right away but LV is 3 hours from her.
- air bubbles on MC items: you need to look closely for this.
- vachetta: not patinaed and is not dirty, scratched.
- glaze: must fully cover vachetta (I recieved a bag where the glaze didnt fully cover the leather edges and it began to split from that); pay especial attention to the ends of the tabs and where the handles connect to the bag because in those areas the vachetta need the most protection.
- bumps: for example the speedy. there is an inevitable bump by the zipper from the pocket inside (though IMO with good seamstress work that should not be there) all speedys will have this bump but it is best to choose one with the smallest bump (and yes the bump size varies). the reason for this? If you keep your bags for a few years no big deal but if you plan to keep it FOREVER like me then a smaller less steep bump is best as overtime that spot is most suceptible to cracking. Yes, i've seen it happen.
Vachetta piping: make sure it is all even both the size (thickness) of the piping and how much it sticks out from the bag. I saw one bag where the piping out stick out a great deal in one section but later on would be pushed in far so it would not stick out at all. It was a bad look.
zipper: make sure it works.
I tried to think of everything to check for. Oh, and its helpful to bring a friend. You know that friend that is a bargain shopper, super picky, has a good eye, and notices the small things... (We all have one) Bring her! =D HTH. If I missed anything, feel free to add! =)
Miniature Louis Vuittons
Angel and I were browsing at our friendly, neighborhood boutique last Saturday when I discovered that LV made miniature lockits in epi leather. And when I say miniature, I mean miniature!!! They were so cute and well made that I wanted to purchase one as a coin purse. I almost swooned when my SA informed me nonchalantly that they were $1050. She also showed me a Miniature Speedy and Lockit in nomade leather and those were handsomely priced at $1150. I tried searching online and found them at the Purse Forum...duh! Below are pics of the Speedy Nomade that I saw and a Multicolore Lockit. LVoe them!!! Photo credits go to LVbabydoll and VuittonGanG of the Purse Forun. I think KarenKooper.com sometimes have them for sale hence the watermark on the lockit. .
The MC miniature lockit shown above was launched for the first anniversary of the re-opening of the Paris Flagship store at 101 Champs Elysees. They only made 101 pieces and could only be bought at that particular store.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Gorbachev Made Me Buy It
Article from the New York Times
BAGGAGE Annie Leibovitz’s portrait, part of a new advertising campaign.
By ERIC WILSON
Published: July 26, 2007 SO many fashion ads feature celebrities now that it isn’t even faintly jarring to flip through the August issue of Vogue and see Scarlett Johansson lying on her belly with a Louis Vuitton bag over her shoulder and 10 pages later find her flat on her back, her cascading blond hair spread to promote L’Oréal Superior Preference shade No. 10NB.
That said, what is a reader to make of a Vuitton ad, coming in the big September books, that stars Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union? A decade ago, Mr. Gorbachev’s appearance in a Pizza Hut commercial was generally greeted as a low point in his career.
The Vuitton ad, however, is part of a campaign to emphasize the company’s heritage in luggage and travel accessories. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, the ads include other celebrities using Vuitton bags: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf cuddling in a hotel room, their bags not yet unpacked; Catherine Deneuve resting on a trunk in front of a steaming locomotive; and Mr. Gorbachev in the back of a car with a duffel bag on the seat next to him. Of the group, Mr. Gorbachev appears the least comfortable. He is holding on to a door handle, as if the bag contained polonium 210.
It seems unlikely he will be approached by L’Oréal.
THE August issue of Harper’s Bazaar, meanwhile, includes fashion illustrations by Julius Preite of “The Simpsons,” with a cartoon version of Glenda Bailey, the editor, in place of her usual portrait. And now on Style.com, it is Candy Pratts Price, the site’s executive fashion director, who appears more animated than usual.
In a feature called “CandyCast,” Ms. Price will dispense thoughts on fashion in the form of an avatar, illustrated by Bruno Frisoni, the creative director of Roger Vivier. She looks skinnier than a paper clip.
“Take a look at gray!” she says in the first installment, which sounds a tad like a spoof of Diana Vreeland. “Always chic, always right, and always, always mandatory!”
Ms. Price said she hopes to convey a lighter tone in the future.
“It will definitely be related to fashion, because that is what I do for a living,” she said. “I am not a doctor.”
Ahhh...I just LVoe Scarlett in these ads
Griet Mirage in Bordeaux $3450
Tivoli $1050
Limelight Clutch $1275
Motard Alligator Biker $13,500
Monogram Denim Neo Cabby GM $1720
Shearling Storm $3750
Neverfull MM with Trunks & Bags Mini Accesoires $620 & $255 respectively -- Photo credit: www.louisvuitton.com
Thursday, July 26, 2007
LV in the City
I was at lunch today with my friend Rowena (& my Speedy, of course, sitting in his own chair in the foreground of the pic) when low and behold, right next to us was a Denim Vuitton bag sitting pretty on top of a food court table. I recognized it but was not sure of the name. Rowena and I immediately assesed if what she had was the real deal or a fakey. First, I pointed out the vachetta. It was still a bit light but there were stains on it already. Next, the lining was a microfiber that was colored mustard so that seemed appropriate. Then, I noted that the brass fittings and zipper pull had the "Louis Vuitton" engraving. Lastly, the alignment of the pattern was simply exquisite that from the limited view of the bag, I judged that it is indeed an original! I am no expert here as I am still trying to learn a lot from Purse Forum-ers and I know that the heat stamps are essential to make a sound judgement. Sigh...my afternoon at the mall...PS. It did help that she was wearing a Chanel wristwatch and a 2 carat diamond ring...also, the bag is called Monogram Denim Baggy PM $1270.00 at eluxury.com.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I LVoe Paris
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Visionaire No. 52: Private Miroir Cover
Book DescriptionGuest Art Director Marc Jacobs teamed up with photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott on the newest installment of the coveted fashion quarterly, Visionaire, which comes housed this time in a limited-edition Louis Vuitton case designed by Jacobs. Alas and Piggott photographed a series of intimate portraits of today's most inspiring contemporary icons, traveling to New York, London and Paris in search of their personal muses. Subjects include actors Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson and Selma Blair; singers Jennifer Lopez and Lil' Kim; models Gisele Bundchen, Stephanie Seymour and Christy Turlington; New York City Ballet principle dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied; and fashion designers Marc Jacobs, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney, to name a few. I don't care much for the magazine but look at that Miroir case that it comes in!!! LVoe it!!! Pre-order at amazon.com
Tuesday Trunk Tidbitz
What a wonderful find from Saks and Company Fifth Avenue! An antique trunk dating from the 1920's. I can only imagine
lugging this beauty around at the turn of the century. A mysterious initial "R" is embossed on the piece which makes one wonder who was the original owner and what station did he or she held in society. I think by that time Louis Vuitton had already established its name as a leading trunk maker,
and this piece must've been expensive even at that time. Beautiful detailing of the LV monogram surrounds its border making the piece quite similar to what they have done to the my Vaslav's leather trim. The hardware is breathtaking and has that beautiful old world patina. I hope you enjoyed seeing this piece as much as I have and if you choose to place a bid, here's the auction on e-bay. LVoe it!!! Ended for $1,224.73
Dallas Postscript
In between rushing to read the Harry Potter books
(I just started from the first) and the stress brought about by the scratch on my Vaslav, I have neglected to post my pics of the Vuitton Boutique in Dallas. I have started a goal for myself to go into as many LV boutiques as I possibly can! I wish for it to be a pilgrimage of some sort but not really since I relate this word to spiritual exercises. I should say maybe, it's like visiting an old friend. Instead of collecting snowglobes or little silver spoons,
I have decided to collect LV's from the places I go to. So here are pics of the beautiful store in the Galleria, Dallas, Texas. It was my first stop after checking-in at my hotel,July 20, 2007. LVoe it!!!
Fading Beauty of the Multicolores
I was surfing through e-bay with the hopes of finding a good deal when I happened upon this wonderful Speedy 30 in Multicolore. (Click here). Upon close scrutiny of the photographs, it was then that I realized that I was seeing what I have read in the Purse Forum about the Multicolore's tendency to chafe over time. It is kind of disconcerting to know that the much loved 33 colors of Murikami will eventually fade. I guess, it is part and parcel of this line and I believe of the damier as well. Truly, a thing of beauty cannot last forever...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Worst fear realized at Dallas Airport
I was flying from Dallas to Houston yesterday with my newly acquired Damier Vaslav. I was really happy that I got through the weekend without incident for it. Unfortunately, stupid me, I reserved a seat online at the head of the plane. I usually want to get out of the plane as soon it lands.
I didn't realize that the seat faced a wall and there was no place for me to stow my precious cargo. The plane was small and dinky and the Vaslav is too big for the overhead bin. I was horrified when I had to give up my Vaslav and almost fainted in the jetway when I saw them flinging it onto the tarmac. When I got to Houston, I promptly inspected my bag for scratches and true enough, there was a half-an-inch scratch on the canvas. It's barely noticeable because of the damier's visual pattern but still...I kept telling myself that luggage is luggage and they will eventually acquire some wear. I just didn't think it would be this soon.
Note: The Damier has 105 marking/square; brown flecks over black background. On the other hand, the light square consists of 105 light brown; 105 dark brown with a black background
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Souvenir de Dallas
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Hijacking an SMU computer
Hey all, I thought I would say hi! I am here at Southern Methodist University using their computer lab to get the addresses of other Vuitton stores. I went into LV's stand-alone boutique yesterday and got myself a tiny souvenir. Will post fotos when I get back! I LVoe Dallas!!!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Blogging Hiatus
Well, I'm off to Dallas today!!! Scheduled activities: Dallas Museum of Art: A Painting in the Palm of Your Hand: 18th-Century Painted Fans from the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection; Examination at Southern Methodist Universtiy and last but not the least, Louis Vuitton Galleria, Dallas!!! LVoe it!!! Have a good weekend!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wow, wurde ich in einem deutschen Blog gekennzeichnet
Wow, I was linked to a German blogsite. The post is about someone inquiring about the New Speedy Mirage that will be released this fall. It was nice of the poster to link my blog for the pic and I think it's really, really cool that even across the Atlantic, we are sharing the same interests and looking for the same information. Tausend Dank!!! Here's a link to the blog. Photo: Cecile Van Straten
Look at what the cat dragged in!!!
Well, my friend Arjay from sunny Miami secretly purchased an LV pocket agenda behind my back! I just found out 24 hours after the fact when I saw the updates on his blog, the Journey. But here's a question for you: Are you the only one with secrets???!!!
Congratulations, LVoe it!!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Eole in Action!
I saw this new addition to the Vuitton collection for the first time in New York City. It looked functional and I like the idea of a hybrid duffel. The wheels run smooth on the ground and there is a handle at the "top" of the bag to grab it with ease. I believe it will also come out in Damier sometime in the fall. The 50 definitely is cabin size but the Eole 60 is a check-in bag. I guess if you fly first class you can get away with the 60. I would be horrified to check in a Vuitton. Something to consider guys. LVoe it!!! Eole 50 $1500 and Eole 60 $1800. Visit eluxury.com Photo credit: www.louisvuitton.com
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Tuesday Trunk Tidbitz
This is the second trunk that I am featuring in my Tuesday Trunk Tidbitz. The seller claims that it comes from the estate of Hildegarde Loretta Sell, a very popular singer of her time.
Her life reads like a who's who of the the recording industry. Born in Adell, Wisconsin, she grew up in Milwaukee and was discovered by Irving Berlin. She was the first singer in the
business who had a female manager, Anna Sosenko. Through her manager's guidance and influence, Hildegarde started from a simple farm girl into a one-name, designer gown-wearing, continental chanteuse. I guess she was the precursor of the likes of Madonna and Cher. She is considered as the very first international artist, lending her voice to performances in Paris and London, and even had King Gustov of Sweden fall in LV oe with her. She is considered as the first TV star of the 20th century. Eleanor Roosevelt dubbed her as the "First Lady of Supper Clubs and George and Ira Gershwin wrote songs about her. ("My Cousin from Milwaukee"). Her circle of friends included Cole Porter, Rogers and Hammerstein and Liberace to name a few. She wrote her autobiography: Over 50...So What! in the 1960's. She died at the age of 99 in a hospital in New York in 2005. Truly, a colorful lady who is considered by many as the 4th most prolific recording artist of our time. To sample her music, visit amazon.com and click here to know more about the auction. Ended at $3050.00
What a toxic day!
I found out this morning that I need to take a special exam for work. I rushed to get the paperwork done, including a trip to Ritz Camera to get my photo taken, only to find out that the local testing area here in Virginia has all its slots filled and the next one will not be until August. I booked it anyway. Arriving at home, I decided to research this further and discovered that Dallas and Houston were the nearest testing sites that I could register for this Saturday. I need to take this exam as early as possible so I immediately set the wheels in motion by first getting a refund from the VA testing area, grabbing a fancy, cold coffee drink and Fedex-ing my application overnight to the Dallas Center. For this evening, I need to book a flight, find a hotel, reserve a car and then I'm done! THEN and ONLY THEN can I figure out what Vuitton luggage am I going to bring...
Monday, July 16, 2007
Miroir Speedy
Apol sent me a pic of a Miroir Keepall this weekend and so I decided to do a google search of the collection. The moment I saw this Speedy, I instantly fell in L V oe with it!!! I know to some this is a bit flashy but it really commands attention even from photographs that I found myself fantasizing owning one someday. Sigh...
Photo credit: www.louisvuitton.com
Sunday, July 15, 2007
My first hot stamping -- Louis Vuitton Services
I was very much delighted when I found out that the House of Vuitton offers hot stamping at no additional charge. This is the kind of old world service that you don't get any more. I chose a classic gold monogram of my first and last name since if I did my three initials it would read "FAB" and people might think that I have an inflated view of myself. So here's the first of hopefully many that I would be hot stamping in the future. Even as a kid, my mother would have all our items initialed at Rustan's, the premier department store in the Philippines. Wallets and leather goods were hot stamped and handkerchiefs and towels were embroidered. It's nice to know that I will be continuing this tradition of my family with my Vuittons.
Photo: Hot stamped small luggage tag with Monogram Excursion
Saturday, July 14, 2007
I just had to post this!
Angel and I were at Chevy Chase today picking up a repair for her bucket bag when one of my favorite SAs mentioned that they had a new bag that just came out today. Due to tPFers posts, I immediately knew what she was talking about. We gingerly approached the much revered piece of the day and I instantly fell in LVoe with it! She then proceeded to hand us the blue cabby but Angel already had the noir in arm. Sigh...just LVoely!!! Then I saw these pics from Jill of the Purse Forum of what she calls the Cabby Denim Twins. I am sooo jealous!!! They look fabulous on her. Link to Jill's post click here.LVoely!!! MM- $1500 GM - $1,720