The Australian Open just keeps getting more stylish. While the past few years have seen ball kids and on-court officials clad in Ralph Lauren, high fashion excellence has now been extended to the players. Serving as the Official Trophy Trunk partner of the Australian Open, Louis Vuitton has crafted two bespoke trophy trunks for the forthcoming tournament; one to house the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and and the other for the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.
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The announcement is the latest in a long line of partnerships that see the worlds of high fashion and sport unite. Louis Vuitton also crafted the trophy travel trunks for the Davis Cup, Roland Garros, and Rugby World Cup, while several football teams are now dressed by revered luxury fashion houses (think Zegna for Real Madrid, Moncler for FC Internazionale Milano, Dior for Paris Saint-Germain, Off-White for MC Milan).
The partnership sees Louis Vuitton go back to its roots as a purveyor of luxury luggage. Handcrafted by skilled artisans at the maison’s Asnières workshops just outside of Paris, each trunk sees a wooden frame swathed in the fashion house’s instantly recognisable monogram canvas and accented by a lozine leather trim. The brass corner protectors, lock, and clasps found on the bespoke trophy trunks are identical to those used on the maison’s trunks since the 1860s.
Both trunks feature dual front panels that slide back to reveal the trophy within. When connected, they bear a striking white ‘V’ — for ‘Victory’ and ‘Vuitton’ — and are lined with blue microfibre that reflects the tournament’s branded colour scheme and the iconic blue courts. On the underside of the lid sits a subtle Australian Open logo.
“Louis Vuitton is renowned for creating iconic trunks and we are delighted with the stunning hand-crafted custom trunks created for our historic Australian Open trophies,” said Craig Tilley, CEO of Tennis Australia. “The Australian Open and Louis Vuitton both share a commitment to unparalleled excellence and innovation, while retaining great respect for history, tradition and the celebration of legendary achievement and skill.“
The Australian Open will commence on the 14th of January, with the women’s and men’s finals taking place on the 27th and 28th of January, respectively.
Words by AR Staff
