Building of the Week - 39th Ed.

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Louis Vuitton Flagship

6 E 57th St, New York, NY 10022

Baggage, am I right? What is it good for? What is it bad for? Who even knows at this point? Well, I’ll tell you what—this week’s building sure does fanny pack a punch! This was my fourth attempt at writing a quirky intro. Chat, be real - can you tell I gave up?

Louis Vuitton’s flagship NYC store is undergoing a multi-year renovation, so they devised a strategy to cover up the construction site with this one-part art installation, one-part marketing tactic. When Parker first sent me a picture of this, I was flabbergasted. My brain immediately thought it was AI because of how unbelievable this looks. But nope, it’s real. And honestly? It’s toteally amazing.

Designed by architect Shohei Shigematsu, this facade is doing all the heavy lifting. This design kills three birds with one stone, and somehow, none of them are getting hit by a construction crane. 1) Construction is an eye-sour and pisses people off. This is very enticing and gets people excited. 2) Whatever renovation they do will be kept under wraps until the big reveal. 3) No annoying scaffolding. I'd hate to get on that stone's bad side.

What’s most impressive is that these faux trunks are perfectly scaled to the real Louis Vuitton trunks, down to the last rivet. They didn’t cut corners on materials either. In fact, the corners are made of thick steel! The largest handle on the structure weighs a jaw-dropping 5,000 pounds, and every lock, latch, and steel corner is meticulously hand-welded. Oh, and just for fun, the stack boasts 840 rivets, each one proudly etched with the Louis Vuitton name --  because why not give the birds we didn’t kill something to look at? 

For my high school freshman year geometry class, I made a 4 ft proportionally scaled model of the first Hunger Games book (you know? What everyone does for geometry class?). I got a 95%. The 5% was docked off because I used a printer for the text on the first page. I personally think that’s bullshit. Anyways, we must carry on.

While construction takes place at the flagship, the brand has relocated its retail operations to a building around the corner. This new location contains a chocolate shop, men’s and women’s wear, and the brand’s first ever cafe (in the US). They keep the luggage theme going with these installations of their trunks stacked up four stories high! 

I am a huge fan of anything turned miniature or massive-iture. I just built a book nook last week and I felt like a giant gluing tiny plants into tiny pots. I hope all of the hype around this facade inspires other companies to bring some whimsy back to these cold concrete streets. 

the storefront of the temporary location

As you may recall from last week, I am in need of a new carry-on suitcase. Maybe I get a cheapo one on Amazon or… maybe I splurge. I know just the place to go! Hmm… on second thought, I’m not sure these will fit in the overhead compartment. Oh well. As my last boyfriend said, I already have too much baggage. Okay, tbh I low-key married the only boyfriend I ever had so that was a lie but I can still sling puns all day. 

here's what it used to look like

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Fun Fact

The first time I ever stepped inside a Louis Vuitton store was when my fabulous cousin-in-law, Karina, was about to make her first ever Louis Vuitton purchase. She had saved up for months and was practically buzzing with excitement at every moment of the process. She was even thrilled about the shopping bag it came in—yes, the bag the bag comes in. Champagne in hand, she soaked in the whole luxury experience while they monogrammed her brand-new treasure. But, of course, this is New York City, where even high fashion can't escape the chaos. As Karina was getting into her ride to the airport, a pigeon—being a true New Yorker—decided to christen her bright orange shopping bag with a perfect little poop. Nothing says "Welcome to the Big Apple" and/or “Get the fuck out of here” like a pigeon’s blessing.

video provided by the lovely Madi Hall

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I am gearing up to do a big final month of the year so stay tuned! If you have any suggestions on holiday-themed buildings or places to write about, please suggest them here.

Anyways… see you next week! Toodaloo!

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