LV Speedy P9
Imagined by the grandson of the founder of the Maison, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the Speedy bag, during its more than ninety years of life, has in all respects gained the title of iconic bag of the Maison, becoming with its understated charm not only the “must have” of celebrities and fashion addicts from all over the world, but also “muse” of artists and designers who have found inspiration to create contemporary works of art or reinterpretations of the historic model.
Created in the 1930s, the bag debuted as the “Express,” a name that reflected the era’s craze for speed and automobiles. In 1959, the Speedy was presented for the first time in soft Monogram canvas, acquiring the status of “must have”. In this version, the travel bag with its safety closure equipped with a padlock is dressed in urban charm and becomes a modern and indispensable accessory. Since the 1960s, the Speedy bag has established itself as the most loved by celebrities around the world. Audrey Hepburn fell in love with it so much that in 1965 she requested a special version, smaller than the classic 30 centimeters in length, and thus the Speedy 25 was born. Since then the bag has always been one of Louis Vuitton’s bestsellers and a universal icon.
In his debut fashion show for the Maison, Pharrell Williams proposes a new interpretation of the historic model: the Speedy P9. Remaining faithful to the original vocation of a cosmopolitan city bag, the new model evokes the attitude and mentality typical of the famous Canal Street in Lower Manhattan in New York, confirming itself as an everyday icon designed for every lifestyle. Made with conscious reflection on the frenzy of everyday life, the new Speedy P9 respects the lines of the classic model, appearing in new shades and in soft natural grain leather. Developed in nine sizes, the bag is embellished with a sophisticated silk-screen printing of the Monogram motif which gives life to an artisanal effect, similar to hand painting. The attention to detail is also evident in the refined finishes, such as the leather lining, the gold-polished metal details and the enamelling that emphasize the design of the accessory. A secret detail is hidden on the back of the left tongue: the hot stamping of a dove, symbol of peace and freedom.
Pharrell Williams’ reinterpretation of the Speedy has pushed the boundaries of savoir-faire, channeling the Maison’s most exclusive metièrs into an unprecedented creation that combines hand-painted crocodile finishes and High Jewelery details: the Millionaires Speedy P9. The name pays homage to the Millionaires Sunglasses, the result of the first collaboration between Pharrell Williams and Louis Vuitton in 2004. For the first time in the history of the Maison’s high craftsmanship, the masters of High Jewelery collaborated with the exotic leather atelier, creating exceptional gold finishes engraved with the Louis Vuitton signature and the first functional gold zipper ever made. The final touch is the over eight thousand carats padlock, entirely studded with diamonds, which gives the Millionaires Speedy P9 its sparkling appearance. The accessory perfectly embodies the splendor of Pharrell’s first men’s collection for Louis Vuitton, where the sun is a focal point, a source of opportunity and life. All the metal parts of the bag are in 18-karat gold and required two months of work to obtain the unmistakable polishing: the chain, modeled by the expert hands of Louis Vuitton jewelers, the padlock studded with diamonds and finally the zip. The bag sublimates the Maison’s savoir-faire thanks to the hand-painted Monogram motif: it is an extremely meticulous painting process that requires over 70 hours of work by specialized craftsmen.
LV Speedy P9
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