While on holiday in NYC with our young daughters Mel and I, along with our life of the party friend Rose, made a list of the places we wanted to visit. You already know that we share a penchant for all things luxury, and that Mel is a Louis Vuitton aficionado. So after making sure that the girls enjoyed watching the Rockettes at the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, ice skating in frigid temps in Central Park, and getting their sugar rush in Dylan’s Candy Shop, it was time to brave a long line in 24 degree weather for the Louis Vuitton experience.

Still on a high from snagging the ubiquitous yet elusive Speedy B 24 in Damier Ebene in the World Trade Center Louis Vuitton Boutique , Mel was as determined as ever to visit the museum.

On the first day of our trip we passed a ridiculous stretch of museum hopefuls outside the entrance of the museum and wondered if there was a way to avoid that madness. I checked online and found that reservations could be made and guided tours were offered. In my haste to obtain any reservation I skipped the guided tour option and went straight for a 5:00 p.m. reservation on our last full day in the city. This is a decision I regretted when a surly museum nazi directed us away from the ease of the VIP entrance and we were relegated to freeze our fannies in the line of everybody. What good did the reservation do? Don’t ask me. I cannot be sure, but the wait turned out not to be terribly unbearable and when the velvet rope was lifted and we were ushered into the vachetta hued wonderful world of Louis Vuitton, we were transported into the consciousness of the original trunk artist who built this luxury brand off of the foundation of sturdy traveling trunks and high quality luggage.

Exhibition Louis Vuitton, which premiered on 10.27.2017, and runs until 01.07.2018 is curated by Olivier Saillard and is housed in a multi-leveled magnificent warehouse-esque building at 86 Trinity Place in NY, NY. Guests journey through the evolution of the House of Louis Vuitton from 1854 to present by visiting 9 rooms which begins with The Trunk of 1906 Room, and ends with The Music Room. The story in each room grows more intriguing, and gives guests a heightened appreciation for craftsmanship, design, quality, luxury, and cultural influence. Highlights of the tour are the history of the 1920’s  Golden Age of Travel and Louis Vuitton’s significant role in it, and also the rage of Louis Vuitton in America and its reciprocal influence on American popular culture.

I do not want to spoil the surprises and so I hope this peek into Volez Voguez Voyagez gives you some insight into the decadence and the allure of this fashion brand and its well deserved impeccable reputation. My personal favorite part was the window into the 16 years under the direction of Marc Jacobs which I opine is unmatched in the modern tale of Louis Vuitton.

For me the story of Louis Vuitton is just another solid example that art imitates life, and that passion for quality and luxury is not a shallow desire but a sign that the one who truly appreciates this brand has appreciation for art in one of its purest forms. If your travels take you to New York City before the close of Exhibition Louis Vuitton New York on 1.07.2018, do not miss out!