It's quite rare that the world of luxury fashion intersects with sports. But for Louis Vuitton, the partnership goes beyond the average sporty sneakers or gym bag. The French maison has had a connection with yachting competition The America's Cup through its own Louis Vuitton Cup since 1983, and has designed championship trophy cases for rugby as well as tennis.
To kick things off for the 21st FIFA World Cup in Russia this year, Louis Vuitton has announced a partnership with the football association (yes, it's 'football'; not 'soccer') for the third consecutive time. The hat trick sees another creation of a special-order FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Travel Case for the safe transportation of the prized FIFA World Cup 2018 trophy. While the previous two incarnations of the case resembled traditional leather Louis Vuitton trunks, this year's design features mirrored surfaces courtesy of the Monogram Titanium—a true representation of Louis Vuitton's traditional savoir-faire combined with modern innovation. The case will be revealed with the trophy on 14 June 2018 and 15 July 2018 when the opening and final matches of the World Cup are scheduled to take place respectively.
Hardcore fans of the game will appreciate the limited-edition FIFA World Cup™ Official Match Ball Collection Trunk. Working together with adidas, the trunk holds 13 footballs that are re-editions of the official footballs used for the FIFA World Cup since 1970. An additional football that's entirely crafted in Louis Vuitton's signature VVN leather is also included as part of the series. Now this is definitely one for display in the game room.
And if you're like some of us—namely, me—who can't tell the difference between a penalty kick and a free kick, the Louis Vuitton 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Official Licensed Product Collection might be more your speed. The entire collection is crafted in Epi leather that's embossed to form polygonal shapes that resemble those found on a typical football. Find a selection of iconic Louis Vuitton bags such as the Keepall and Apollo, as well as smaller accessories that are all stamped with the 'L.V' initials. The colours seen here are not all that's available. A made-to-order service for the Keepall bags will enable customers to customise the colours to those of any participating national flag.
The Louis Vuitton 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Official Licensed Product Collection will be available in Louis Vuitton boutiques on 14 June 2018.