Louis Vuitton's NYC Destination Flagship Store Is a Trip
The five-story experience is only temporary—but it's making a lasting impression.
Whoever said life is more about the journey than the destination never got a chance to shop at Louis Vuitton's new five-story flagship—a luxury pantheon so vast, it resembles one of the label's legendary Neverfull totes made three-dimensional.
The luxury retailer's current largest store in North America is only temporary, while its eventual, and even more spacious, address undergoes renovations across the street. (That building's scaffolding, made to look like a stack of Louis Vuitton steamer trunks, has become a tourist destination in its own right recently.) But for a momentary address, this LV-stamped store feels decidedly permanent.
The space, designed by OMA Architects, features a soaring atrium with an installation of even more Louis Vuitton trunks stacked skyward. Across the five stores, shoppers can find a range of ready-to-wear, leather goods, and a custom collection made just for the Fifth Avenue store—the ultimate in luxury souvenirs. The space also hosts Louis Vuitton's first stateside restaurant, joining the ranks of runway menu fixtures like Tiffany and Armani, and a selection of luxury chocolates by Maxime Frédéric. And for the shoppers who also keep close track of Louis Vuitton's comings and goings on the red carpet, the fifth floor's private salons for top clients also include a number of creative director Nicolas Ghesquière's designs on display, including the burgundy leather dress Zendaya recently wore in New York City.
Speaking of celebrities: A-listers have already anointed the space a major destination, at a grand opening party on Nov. 14. Friends of the brand including Ana de Armas and Jennifer Connelly showed out in LV mini dresses, while Cynthia Erivo combined her recent penchant for Wicked green with the volume and tiers of Louis Vuitton's red carpet-wear. Their pieces were more bespoke than what you'll find on the racks—but they set an elevated tone nonetheless.
The store's most postcard-worthy feature, however, isn't the list of potential stars you'll see coming and going from the store. It's the set of installations highlighting past Louis Vuitton collaborations with the likes of Supreme, Takashi Murakami, and Stephen Sprouse. A single bag from each collection holds court in a room painted to reflect the remixed prints and patterns from each collection. Stepping inside, editors told me the felt like they were transported to another world (or maybe just inside their own Instagrams). The entire space, they said, was immersive—and worth the trip.
