Louis Vuitton Is Turning Its Paris HQ Into a Hotel
Louis Vuitton plans to transform its corporate headquarters in Paris into a hotel "within the next five years," according to CEO Michael Burke.
In a recent interview, Burke explained that the headquarters — located in Paris' 2nd arrondissement near the famed Pont Neuf bridge — will undergo a massive revamp over the next decade. In addition to a hotel, the sprawling space will also house the world's largest Louis Vuitton store.
While Burke predicted that his vision for the brand's HQ will likely take anywhere from 10 to 15 years to execute, Louis Vuitton has already taken a first step towards transforming the building into a cultural hub.
Starting December 12, the 400,000-square-foot building will play host to LV Dream, an experiential installation exhibiting Louis Vuitton's long list of artist collaborations (Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, and Yayoi Kusama included).
The attraction will also feature a gift shop, cafe, and chocolate shop run by Maxime Frédéric, head pastry chef at Cheval Blanc Paris, a luxury hotel operated by — surprise! — LVMH.
Despite the fact that Cheval Blanc is located just across the street from LV's headquarters and future hotel, Burke doesn't anticipate the two clashing. "[The Louis Vuitton hotel] would be its own identity, and own segment and own service — a completely different experience," he told WWD.
“Food and beverage and lodging are clearly in the future of Louis Vuitton," Burke elaborated, suggesting that the company's existing roster of restaurants and cafés will expand.
Basically: get ready to eat, sleep, and breathe Louis Vuitton.
