Sorry this is really long - but I've just had the best trip of my life, so bear with me!
On Tuesday Warren and I plus three other couples flew to Paris for a couple of days after being invited for a once in a lifetime opportunity, normally reserved for journalists, celebs and VIPs (and every so often mere mortals, such as me)....sorry if I get a bit excited (if you could hear me talk you'd notice I am getting very high pitched and giddy). I also foolishly forgot to take my camera - I think the excitement was too much - so I am really sorry for the one photo I took, on my phone (the others were too fuzzy)
We were invited to lunch, and a tour of the Louis Vuitton malletier and family home, (plus a night at the Ritz - I'll get to that shortly). The malletier is the site of the first 'factory' (if you can call it that - it is more a studio, there's no production line in sight), and is where all of the special pieces (the trunks, the show collection bags and the special orders) are handmade by amazingly talented craftsmen (and women).
We stepped out of our car and walked through the gates to a beautiful garden in the Asnieres region of Paris (the street is called Rue Louis Vuitton - how fab is that?!), which is where Louis Vuitton himself, and his family lived way back in the late 19Th century until only about 20 years ago. The house itself is preserved as it was in 1904, and is full of gorgeous art nouveau decoration - beautiful plaster flowers all over the walls and ceilings, stunning furniture and family pictures of the 5 generations of Vuitton. Our guide for the day was Mdm Zimmermann, a former Argentinian Opera singer who, now in her 60s, has the responsibility of looking after this beautiful home and museum, and showing guests around. As it is a private museum only those invited by the company themselves can visit, which in some ways is such a shame as it is so beautiful, but on the other hand to know we are part of a very privileged few is a wonderful feeling.
Mdm Zimmermann told us all about the history of the company, where in the world the pieces are made, and how. There are these small factories, employing only 150 employees - never more, in California, France, Spain and one in Romania - each has a specific role. The Spanish one only makes small leather goods as the Spanish are particularly skilled in this field, the Romanian one makes the metal pieces (clasps etc), the Californian one concentrates on specific items for the American and Asian markets (such as wallets with 30 compartments for credit cards - only available in the US as they demanded it), and the French ones are where the main items are made.
After a fascinating talk, tea and pastries, we were shown to the studio, where we were to see the actual bags being made. The first room we entered had 3 joiners making the shells of the trunks - all with normal woodworking tools, no machines. We were shown up to the next area where the hides were laid out and pieces cut, one at a time for every individual pattern piece. I can't imagine how long it would take to cut out pieces for a whole season's collection - now I understand how the bags are staggered to come into the shops, they work on one design at a time, plus their special orders and the luggage pieces.
Up again to the next level, where the machinists were sat sewing together pieces of bags, and hand finishing each section.
The one thing that amazed me was how happy the staff looked, how they were laughing and joking, and taking their time over each piece. It is common for staff to work here until the retire, and there were a lot of older workers, clearly so skilled (they put my sewing skills to shame!). Even the nails and rivets in the trunks are done by hand, using a normal hammer - no special time saving machines. It felt so good to see old fashioned skills being put to use, time and care and love put into everything that these people were making - just like it should be, not mass produced in China. Louis Vuitton under produce as the philosophy is they will never have to make people redundant, the staff know their jobs are safe for as long as they want them.
After an amazing tour, we headed back across the garden for lunch at the very table Louis Vuitton and his subsequent descendants sat at, talked and ate and laughed a lot. Mdm Zimmermann told us all about her amazing life, she spoke 5 languages and was one of the warmest and down to earth people I have ever met - an amazing woman.
Now when I see a Louis Vuitton bag I won't think 'chav' I'll think 'that bag is actually beautiful'. I do like a lot of the things they make, the show collection pieces are amazing, and the luggage is so beautiful. Not everything has the LV monogram stamped all over it, not everything is so in your face, but everything is beautifully made, whether it is to my taste or not.
And so, back to the Ritz - wow! I have never been into the Ritz in London, but have stayed at other very lovely hotels so I knew it was going to be nice. I didn't realise it was going to be SO nice! It was palatial, the carpets alone got me giddy, the furniture was out of this world. If I'd had a removal truck I'd have filled it 10 times over with the Louis style old fashioned chairs and settees! And the bedrooms (which sometimes in posh hotels are a let down) didn't disappoint. The pillows (I am fussy - I usually take a pillow with me on holiday just in case) were down filled and so soft. The sheets were Egyptian cotton, I could have slept for a week without waking up!
Although it was only a quick trip it is one I will never forget, and feel so grateful to be given the chance to go, when there are so many people out there who spend thousands upon thousands of pounds in Louis Vuitton each year (and the lunches are only held once a week or less, and only ever to a maximum of 4 couples). And the best thing.....it didn't cost a penny, but in my mind was priceless.
