ML - Michigan Avenue

2013 - Issue 8 - December

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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STYLE NICHE Sixteen Easy Pieces LOUIS VUITTON'S LATEST TRAVEL-INSPIRED COLLECTION IS A BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL ANTIDOTE TO THE WINDY CITY CHILL. F or a Louis Vuitton devotee, there is no other designer. The house's latest offering, the Icônes Collection, is informed by designer and architect Charlotte Perriand's strikingly simple vision and offers an unparalleled opportunity for collectors to add a bit of magic to their LV cache. Known for her iconic Nuage nesting shelves and her collaboration with Le Corbusier on his famous B306 chaise lounge, Perriand became fascinated with the concept of functional fashion during a 1940 visit to Japan. While there, she created a wardrobe for herself based on the principles of modular design that informed her body of work. Four skirts and four blouses yielded 16 possible outfits in a uniform style that could suit any occasion or need. Most impressively, Perriand's system was anything but monotonous. "By adding scarves, stoles, atypical jewels, and gloves," she said, "I achieved wide variety with a great deal of surprise and fantasy—always similar but never the same." Louis Vuitton's reimagined Icônes Collection fulfills every element of Perriand's ambitious credo. A gingham suit, a prim day dress, the perfect short, a delightfully simple leather motorcycle jacket: Each is playful and chic. More importantly, though, when assembled together, the pieces cover all facets of the well-lived life as identified by Perriand: work, leisure, discovery, and representation. The collection's exquisite, timeless handbags are no exception; bright tones recall the bold colors of the Nuage shelves, while genius design features (a convertible tote can function as a clutch) evoke Perriand's aesthetic. The variety is a boon for ambitious collectors. MaryAnne Smith, wife of former Bears coach Lovie Smith, is an ardent Louis Vuitton loyalist who has lovingly accumulated more than 240 pieces. "At 16 years old, I got a Speedy 30. When your father gives you a gift like that and you find out the history of what it means to the world of fashion, it influences you [at an early age]," she explains. The Icônes Collection is no exception. "I can't decide which pieces I'll end up getting, but I love them all." 919 N. Michigan Ave., 312-944-2010; louisvuitton.com MA 94 FROM TOP: Icon pouch, Louis Vuitton ($1,610), available at the brand's North Michigan Avenue location; the Icônes Collection was inspired by French architect Charlotte Perriand, who was famous for her modular designs. MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 094_MA_SS_StyleNiche_Winter2014.indd 94 11/20/13 9:46 AM

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