A Louis Vuitton Keepall is the perfect travel companion – but can you also sleep in one?
The answer now is yes, thanks to Louis Vuitton 2054, a new line of tech and performance-inspired products for men created by artistic director Virgil Abloh. That sleeping bit, in particular, is the Sleepall, a new outdoor interpretation of the house’s classic travel duffle with a compartment that folds out to reveal a sleeping bag.
Key to this new line is what Abloh and the brand are calling “compressomorphosis”, a veritable waste of syllables for what is essentially adaptable and packable designs. Something like a padded over-shirt, for instance, can be compressed into a back pocket and transformed into a pillow. Or a windbreaker that can be packed into itself, via a nifty pocket, that allows it to be more handily squeezed for travel.
It’s an idea that was first introduced by Abloh in his men’s Pre-Fall 2019 collection for Vuitton. That collection went past fashion statements and zoomed into the everyday, pieces Abloh called “staples” that are more practical workhorses than, say, his famous harnesses. In it, clothes were designed with pocket detailing that allowed for that same packability and travel-friendliness.
In the ready-to-wear, that thread of utility has been carried over into things like a military parka with a quilted and padded lining and outer shell that can be split into two separate jackets (two for the price of one!). There’s also parachute trousers with removable cargo pockets that call back to the utility slings and vests from Abloh’s debut for the house. One upside: the clothing isn’t just for show. The entire line is created from water-repellant technical fabrics, a treatment that even extends to the calfskin on accessories and leather goods. While we wouldn’t recommend taking Louis Vuitton with you while camping, it does mean that Sleepall will actually work without needing too much precious care.
The whole 2054 line is created very much in Abloh’s handwriting, and you’ll see that most strongly in the accessories and its branding details. The monogram gets a rainbow camouflage, and debossed trompe l’oeil relief treatment. Zip pulls are rendered in transparent plexiglass, and chain jewellery comes with either rainbow motifs or in black ruthenium. Broadly, the name of the line is also a reference to the brand’s founding year of 1854. The idea is to imagine how, 200 years from its point of origin, the Louis Vuitton clientele’s wardrobes will be affected by the evolving need for urban activewear.
The Louis Vuitton 2054 Collection will be available from 6 December 2019 at the Marina Bay Sands Island Maison, and ION Orchard boutique. Selected pieces will also be available on the Louis Vuitton e-commerce store.
