The scenario: You have virtually unlimited access to a mansion in Bel-Air for the afternoon. The question: What do you do? Go through the red carpet gowns in the closet, maybe. Play pool, definitely. Big chill in the hammock, overlooking most of the Westside (and what is possibly the Weeknd’s backyard)? Absolutely. And what if we told you the mansion was home to an exclusive exhibition from Louis Vuitton — that the leather hammock was designer, that the gowns were worn by Ana de Armas, Cynthia Erivo and Gemma Chan, and that the pool balls and sticks were branded with “LV”?
This was the scene for Louis Vuitton’s “Crafting Dreams Los Angeles,” an appointment-only experience for its top clientele featuring the house’s most coveted and singularly luxurious items throughout that ran from April 12 to May 3. It was also the place where, on a spring weekend, skaters Ish Cepeda and Carlisle Aikens explored leisure on their own terms.
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“Crafting Dreams” was like walking into a Louis Vuitton fever dream, each room dedicated to a different experience. An entire gallery housed megawatt fine jewelry. The foyer featured a trunk sculpture that shot up into the residency’s incredibly high ceiling. There was an entire baby room, complete with statuettes of the brand’s mascot, Vivienne. True to Louis Vuitton’s heritage, trunks were a centerpiece of the exhibition. L.A. clients got a chance to preview the Cabinet of Curiosities, a special trunk by industrial designer Marc Newson that made its debut at Milan Design Week in April. A designer was also on-site to create custom hard-sided trunks with select clients. Highlights included the Infinity Party Trunk, featuring Yayoi Kusama’s whimsical dots and complete with a full Champagne service.
In front of photographer Sam Muller’s delicate lens, Cepeda and Aikens sipped on bubby while languidly exploring the massive house. They played Louis Vuitton-branded pingpong (luxe paddles and balls included). They took their time in the hallway showcasing a collection of Louis Vuitton skateboards as pieces of art and walked through “White Canvas” — the exhibition within the exhibition celebrating the brand’s classic LV Trainer and its many artistic reinterpretations.
In other words, they were out here.
Sam Muller is a Los Angeles-based photographer. He is the founder of 2001 Magazine, and his work has appeared in Ssense, Thrasher Magazine, 032c, and more.
