THE FIRST RUGBY WORLD CUP FOR LOUIS VUITTON

LOUIS VUITTON

THE FIRST RUGBY WORLD CUP FOR LOUIS VUITTON

Louis Vuitton and World Rugby have collaborated to deliver a very special project for Rugby World Cup 2015 and an event that promises to be a record-breaking global celebration of rugby and its character-building values.

To celebrate rugby’s greatest event, Louis Vuitton has designed a special case to carry the famous Webb Ellis Cup, rugby’s greatest prize. The Louis Vuitton case will make its debut at the Final at Twickenham on 31 October, marking the brand’s first association with Rugby.

World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The Webb Ellis Cup is the most coveted prize in rugby and one of the world’s most iconic trophies. It is a symbol of unity, enjoyment, participation and excellence and that is why it warrants a a custom-made case to capture its prestige. We are excited about our collaboration with a fashion house as renowned as Louis Vuitton and delighted with the stunning, modern classic case." 

“We are very proud to be supporting Rugby World Cup 2015 — all the more so because this partnership holds great meaning for us. In fact, the similarities between the history and values of Rugby and those of our Maison are such that this partnership could have been formed years ago. Ours is a house that places the utmost importance on proximity and human relationships. An atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration, and a genuine spirit of solidarity are the keys to our success. And then there are Louis Vuitton and William Webb Ellis: theirs are the stories of heroes, of commitment and excellence. Both men shared the same winning spirit. A century and a half later, for the 8^th edition of Rugby World Cup, these two heroes have finally come together to let us experience an exceptional moment," explains Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

Handmade in Louis Vuitton's historic Asnières workshop near Paris, the Special Order has been meticulously designed to accommodate the celebrated Trophy, which is made of sterling silver and gold plate.  Covered in Louis Vuitton's iconic Monogram canvas, the travel case is fitted with the company's signature brass lock and corners and the case opens from the front and at the top to allow the Trophy to be easily removed. 

The Special Order for Rugby World Cup 2015 perpetuates Louis Vuitton's long tradition of creating elegant and ingenious cases for travellers to transport their most precious belongings. Over the course of 150 years, the Asnières workshop has produced an astonishing variety of custom-made designs, from the foldout trunk-bed that equipped the African explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza to a secretary trunk for 1,000 cigars to a portable tea service for the Maharajah of Baroda.  The workshop also crafted the trunk that holds the world's oldest sporting trophy, the famous silver ewer of the America's Cup, which dates back to 1851. More recently, Louis Vuitton specially designed the trophy case for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Trophy.