The Journey Of A Very Special Louis Vuitton Suitcase
Laia Farran Graves Contributor
Laia Farran Graves is a journalist and stylist specializing in luxury.
A customised Louis Vuitton suitcase with Ettore Bugatti's logo on it. | Richard Oliver
Oct 31, 2024,
A few months ago, I received a message from collector Morgan Miller asking me if I had any information about an early collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Ettore Bugatti. Morgan had purchased an Alzer Louis Vuitton suitcase at auction, which featured the Bugatti logo flawlessly hand-painted in yellow on both sides. He told me that the emblem had immediately caught his eye in a photograph of the contents coming up for sale, and that he had travelled to inspect it in person. It came with a matching document holder. Could this be a very early association between both brands?
According to Master Investor, Knight Frank’s 2024 Wealth Report shows that ultra-high-net-worth investors (UHNWIs) allocate 20% of their portfolios to luxury collectables because they provide robust inflation protection. Morgan Miller, from Symposium Capital, told me over the phone that he started buying collectables because he was passionate about them. However, he now does it as a career through his fund because they’ve consistently been exceptional investments.
The item appeared to be genuine, and this was confirmed by leading expert Siobhan Trewick, founder of reboundstore.com, and by executives at Louis Vuitton, who verified that E.B. were the initials of the individual who comissioned the suitcase. The timings also lined up: Morgan told me that Louis Vuitton had informed him that the lock serial number dated the item in the 1930s—when we know Louis Vuitton personalized and customized luggage for valued clients who required particular dimensions or finishes. Intrigued, we decided to find out more.
The acclaimed French maison Louis Vuitton, founded in 1854, was first known as “Louis Vuitton Malletier” (Louis Vuitton trunk-maker) as it specialized in hand-crafted luggage. It wasn’t until 1997, when the brand appointed the talented Marc Jacobs, that expansion and diversification began in earnest. Jacobs was the creative director at the company between 1997 and 2014 and produced the first prêt-à-porter collection for the brand, elevating Louis Vuitton to new heights.
Vuitton, Empire of the Senses: a tour of the world famous Louis Vuitton workshop in Asnieres Sur Seine, France on March 15, 2004 - This is the workshop founded by Louis Vuitton in 1859. (Photo by Jean-Francois DEROUBAIX/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
In addition to being an accomplished designer, Jacobs’ instinct for spotting talent introduced the concept of collaborations in the fashion industry. While at Louis Vuitton he worked with many artists, designers, and architects, including Stephen Sprouse (2001 and 2009), Richard Prince (2008), Takashi Murakami (2003) and Yayoi Kusama (2012 and 2023). Louis Vuitton also worked with brands, most notably in 2017, when British designer Kim Jones, who at the time was style director of the men's ready-to-wear division, fused streetwear with luxury in the “Supreme × Louis Vuitton” partnership with a red Monogram version of the original Malle Courrier.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: A Louis Vuitton x Supreme trunk is displayed during a preview at Sotheby's for their Inaugural HIP HOP Auction on September 12, 2020 in New York City. . (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images
Similarly, design pioneer Ettore Bugatti, who founded his business in 1909, was known for producing high-performance and luxury vehicles and for creating a brand synonymous with precision, innovation and cutting-edge technology. His visionary ideas changed the course of automotive history by perfecting unimaginable designs. According to a Bugatti press release, he designed approximately 1,000 patents.
Morgan and I followed two lines of enquiry when researching this story. We agreed that Bugatti is likely to have commissioned the item from Louis Vuitton for his personal use. Unlike the off-the-shelf Louis Vuitton Alzer suitcase models, this item measures 500mm wide, 370mm high and 150mm deep. We later discovered that the dimensions also specifically match the proportions of the parcel-shelf of one of Bugatti’s most iconic automotive designs, which was the car his son drove.
1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic (chassis 57473) (Photo by Michael Cole/Corbis via Getty Images)
So, it is also highly likely that Ettore gifted the Louis Vuitton suitcase with the yellow hand-painted company logo to his son, Jean Bugatti, to use on business trips. Jean shared his father’s talents and started working for him in the late 1920s. He sadly died in a car crash in 1939, when he lost control of his vehicle and drove into a tree to avoid a cyclist.
Jean Bugatti’s car of choice was the iconic Atlantic 57453, an Art Deco-inspired car he had famously designed. Speaking to Mark Edwards, who works in the Archives & Digitisation department at The Bugatti Trust Museum and Study Centre, I learned that only four models of this particular car were ever made and that one of them went missing during World War II. The now-lost chassis 57453, known as "La Voiture Noire" (the black car), is a mystery that has instigated much speculation amongst classic car enthusiasts and historians alike.
It seems that during World War II, the vehicle disappeared, leaving no trace. "La Voiture Noire" was last seen being loaded onto a train going to Bordeaux to avoid being seized by German soldiers. Experts estimate this vehicle would now be worth over $100 million.
Mark Edwards also confirmed that fashion designer Ralph Lauren owns one of the four vehicles, the Atlantic 57591, initially delivered to semi-pro British tennis player Richard B. Pope. It was also owned by the former chairman of The Bugatti Trust Museum and Study Centre, the late Barrie Price, and subsequently by Lord Bamford. The vehicle had finally gone to America, where it was bought by Ralph Lauren and expertly restored in 1988. The original color would have been blue, but Ralph Lauren chose to paint his black, the color of the lost voiture noire.
The Louis Vuitton customized suitcase bought by Morgan at auction would have been an excellent fit for one of the four Type 57 SC Atlantic Coupés, as they are large enough to accommodate it. The Restoration Team at the Classics Museum (specializing in Bugatti Projects) confirmed this in my correspondence with them. They measured the parcel area behind the seat in the Bugatti Atlantic and told me that the dimensions were 1000mm long, 400mm high, and 270mm wide– a pretty good fit!
I asked Morgan if he had any plans for his suitcase. He told me that he was weighing up some options, but he felt privileged to have owned it for a long time. I wonder what more new adventures are in store for this piece?
The Louis Vuitton Alzer suitcase commissioned by Ettore Bugatti.
Laia Farran Graves is a journalist specializing in luxury fashion and beauty. Having studied Communication Studies and Anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London, and later Fashion Journalism at the London College of Fashion, she began her career working as a freelance fashion stylist for many celebrities and magazines. Her work has been featured in British Vogue, The Sunday Times Style magazine and Interview Magazine amongst many others. She started writing by reviewing the London Fashion Week for the Metro newspaper. Her published work includes Little Book of Prada, The Story of the Chanel Bag, Little Book of Versace, Little Book of Fendi and The Story of the Hermès Scarf.