A Historic Monogram Reinterpreted for the 21st Century

Take the LEGEND of an artisan trunk-maker, the VIBRATION of a historic Paris atelier, the LIGHT of gold and diamonds, and the VISION of jewellery designer Francesca Amfitheatrof, and you have LV VOLT: the latest from the Louis Vuitton jewellery collections, reimagining one of the most recognizable monograms in fashion history.

Fall 2020 marks the two-year anniversary of Amfitheatrof’s tenure at Louis Vuitton as artistic director for watches and jewellery. Her Volt collection, with its emphasis on the initials L and V, is decidedly modern, but built on legacy, featuring gold and diamonds architecturally designed as a “metaphor for movement.”

Bracelets, necklaces, and rings see the recognizable monogram intertwined in a graphic style that puts a sleek twist on traditionally feminine silhouettes. Precise, clean lines, soft smooth contours, and intersecting angles take the spotlight, while the chain link pieces, collars, and cuffs feature initials intricately woven with a rhythm that creates shape and structure. Each piece builds on the storied Louis Vuitton workshops while marching to a 21st-century drum, brought to life by masterful craftsmen.

One can envision the beginnings of the brand back in 1854, when Louis Vuitton opened a small box-making shop crafting travel bags and luggage. Many of the elements we’ve come to associate with Louis Vuitton can be traced back to Vuitton and to his son, Georges. The Damier canvas pattern (checkered pattern of brown and tan) was all the elder Vuitton, but the development of the logo or monogram was the work of his son. Georges patented the monogram, and the brand’s signature was born.

Bold, graphic, and sparked with contemporary spirit, the LV Volt collection may be visionary, but it remains firmly rooted in fashion history: the legend, vibration, light, and vision behind the legacy letters.