Documenting the enclaves of history is always cumbersome, especially if the subject is iconic enough to dress up dreams of desire. The challenge, then, is to objectively walk the tightrope between reverence and justification. When it comes to a brand like Louis Vuitton, whose historical heritage is second only to its frenzied popularity, the highlighting becomes even stricter. Assouline recently published Manufactures Louis Vuitton, an exclusive book detailing the workshops of Louis Vuitton and the craftsmen who contribute to nourishing the House’s exceptional pieces. The book features exclusive images that provide insider access to the craftsmanship that the workshop has carefully cultivated over the years.

The photographs presented, some commissioned exclusively for this book, describe the extraordinary places and buildings of Louis Vuitton’s workshops, as well as the equally talented artisans who express their talent through the myriad of Louis Vuitton creations: trunks, bags, perfumes , watches, shoes, fine jewelry. and ready-to-wear, while translating and transporting the founder’s know-how into the 21st century. Pursuing both regional expertise and artisanal excellence, the Louis Vuitton workshops extend not only to France, but beyond Geneva (Switzerland), Fiesso d’Artico (Italy) and even Texas (States -United). Interestingly, sites of historical interest or outstanding natural beauty will most often host a nearby Louis Vuitton workshop. In Normandy, it is the marine splendor of Mont Saint Michel that inspires Ducey’s workshop, and in Beaulieu-sur-Layon, it is the installation bathed in light that promises a low environmental impact.

Author, historian and journalist Nicholas Foulkes is editor of Vanity Fair, Financial Times How to Spend It and The Rake Magazine, and luxury editor of British GQ. Her books for Assouline include Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century (2011); Swans: Legends of the Jet Society (2013); The Impossible Collection of Watches (2014) and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (2020).