Growing up, luxury for me was defined by a handful of brands. I instinctively knew that you were affluent if you wore an Omega or Rolex watch, drove a Mercedes or BMW, sprayed on a Channel or carried a Louis Vuitton bag. It comes as no surprise that today I wear an Omega watch and own a Damier Print Louis Vuitton hand bag and bright red monogram Louis Vuitton wallet. I am more than satisfied with the extent of the luxury items I own. I guess I have ‘grown up’ and aspired to become affluent with life experiences and travels instead over more material wealth. Which brings me to the Cruise 2020 collection that Louis Vuitton showcased at the old TWA Flight Center at JFK airport.
It makes complete sense to host the showing at this venue as travel and LV have a close connection. The master ‘trunk maker’, Georges Vuitton brought about a great change in the luggage industry with his exemplary trunks and locks. With the flair to craft the most exquisite bags and interesting story that each bespoke piece tells, I am curious to know the thought process behind the new Canvas with Bendable Display / Flexible Display.
I am totally judging the bag for being gimmicky and unnecessary; at this stage, why would anyone marry technology and elegance without giving a thought to the end user? It kind of reminds me of the Social Sentiment wall that is on display at most events. For example, if the Twitter Trend analysis for a particular event hashtag was positive, the display screen at the event would display happy videos, and if the response was negative, the display will change accordingly.
I see more value at what IBM attempted when they came up with Cognitive Fashion – using Watson’s AI capability to scan data and then predict color trends in fashion for a year in the future (say 20 years from now). And, thus inspire a collection from the data deciphered.
Louis Vuitton has added a flexible display to the side of a bag and call it a fashion statement. In my mind, the base bag design is super and actually quite exciting, but it seems a little overkill to add displays … the idea being somewhat lost on me. I can imagine the concept on backpacks that cyclists use, being programed to indicate left and right turns. So what purpose will this Canvas serve?
Not to mention, once the novelty factor wears off, maintaining the bag is another big question mark! I recently spent $400 to change the handles of my three-year old Louis Vuitton bag because of the damage from extended use. So imagine the nightmare of repair costs that this new Canvas. Given that entry-point LV bags retail for $900 to $1500, this exclusive will probably break your bank.
Recent reviews of the Samsung ‘flexi’ display phones have set a benchmark that bendable displays can’t be trusted. You tend to be a lot more careful with your phone – which actually fits into your bag or pocket and thus protected. An exposed screen on the bag may actually attract a lot more damage. And what will you do about accidental spills and being caught in a downpour? Thoughts arise in my mind that bring the practicality of this bag into question.
Search on Google and you will find many articles on how to maintain an LV bag. You’ll find that all of them share a common point – that you need to let your LV breathe. Because when you do this, an LV bag will age with grace. Of course, you always need to be mindful about the dust and other elements in addition to letting your bag breathe. The 2020 Cruise Collection is designed by Louis Vuitton Women’s Collections Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière. I’d really like to ask him a few questions about what he was thinking. Let me know your thoughts!
