Louis Vuitton Unveils “The Louis” in Shanghai: A Monument to Travel, Craft, and Culture
Louis Vuitton Launches “The Louis” in Shanghai: A Floating Tribute to its Voyaging Spirit
Louis Vuitton unveils one of its most architecturally ambitious and culturally layered spaces to date—The Louis, a sweeping new retail-meets-museum destination moored in the heart of Shanghai’s central business district. Shaped like a monumental ship and clad in Monogram motifs, the multi-level structure pays homage to both the city’s storied maritime history and the Maison’s own roots in crafting trunks for long-haul travel during the steamship era.
Far more than a flagship store, The Louis represents a convergence of innovation, heritage, and hospitality. Housing a retail floor, exhibition hall, and the newest Le Café Louis Vuitton, the space offers a fully immersive encounter with the brand’s DNA—bridging past and present, East and West, and the functional with the fantastical.
A Vessel of Heritage in the Gateway to the East
The decision to launch this concept in Shanghai is no coincidence. As early as the Tang dynasty, Shanghai’s ports formed critical junctions of global commerce. Its rise as an international port city in the 19th century mirrors the timeline of Louis Vuitton, which was founded in 1854 and became a key player in outfitting travelers for oceanic crossings. The Louis, situated on Wujiang Road, draws a poetic line between those histories—its structure resembling a docked ocean liner constructed entirely from supersized stacked trunks.
Inside, every design detail invites a layered interpretation. The terrace’s seaside-inspired ambiance echoes vintage ocean liners. Soft lighting and polished wood tones within Le Café Louis Vuitton recall grand dining salons. And through its integration of art, architecture, and storytelling, the space underscores Shanghai’s motto of “embracing all rivers”—welcoming diversity while honoring its identity.
Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys: An Exhibition Across Time
Spanning two levels, the Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys exhibition is a scenographic masterwork designed by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA. It’s not a retrospective, but rather a living narrative: a sequence of immersive rooms that illuminate the Maison’s evolution through travel, fashion, craftsmanship, literature, sport, and scent.
At its entrance, the Trunkscape installation—first seen at LV The Place Bangkok—ushers guests into a surreal passageway formed by hovering trunks. What follows is a curated exploration of Louis Vuitton’s archival ingenuity: a zinc-coated sea trunk from 1868, the original Gris Trianon canvas, and items tailored for historic steamliners and regattas.
Highlights include:
Voyage Room:
A tribute to the romance of travel, where bag patents and travel posters spotlight the house’s spirit of adventure.
Perfume Room:
Tracing Louis Vuitton’s olfactory history from its 1927 Heures d’Absence flacon to Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud’s contemporary creations.
Books Room:
A literary homage featuring writings by Gaston-Louis Vuitton and nods to Ernest Hemingway, including references to his Louis Vuitton library trunk.
Fashion & Leathergoods:
A walk-through of the house’s most iconic bags—Keepall, Speedy, Petite Malle—alongside nods to creative figures like Virgil Abloh and Pharrell Williams.
Workshop & Testing:
A look into the brand’s meticulous craftsmanship, from heritage ateliers to the latest quality-testing techniques.
It’s a narrative that doesn’t simply look back—it articulates how Louis Vuitton continues to shape the future of culture and design.
Le Café Louis Vuitton: Culinary Craft in Motion
On the third level, guests are invited to pause and indulge at Le Café Louis Vuitton, where chefs Leonardo Zambrino and Zoe Zhou introduce a cuisine that speaks fluently in both French and Shanghainese dialects. Their menu plays on the Maison’s symbols while nodding to Shanghai’s cosmopolitan palate.
A few standout offerings:
Monogram Raviolis: A twist on Chinese jiaozi filled with refined ingredients, stamped with the LV mark.
Cesar Salad Eclipse: Reimagined with yuja dressing, balancing brightness with depth.
Louis Hao: A seabream carpaccio layered with bergamot sabayon and garden vegetables.
Mandarin Croque: Duck confit and summer cabbage between lacquered bread.
Peach Charlotte with Jasmine Tea and Pavlova of Exotic Fruits: A sweet finish that remains signature to Louis Vuitton’s culinary language.
Zambrino brings with him the finesse of Louis Vuitton The Hall in Chengdu, while Zhou’s Paris-St. Tropez pedigree ensures the menu feels as global as the clientele it serves.
Redefining Retail, Culture, and Hospitality
With The Louis, Louis Vuitton makes a clear statement: retail is no longer just about acquisition—it’s about experience, memory, and immersion. The integration of personalization services like Shanghai-themed hot stamping, live artisan demonstrations, and rare archive displays transform shopping into a cultural event.
As the boundaries between fashion, travel, and lifestyle continue to blur, this Shanghai flagship marks a defining moment in how luxury brands engage their audiences—not just through product, but through place and story.