For 78 years, the Grand Prix de Monaco has been the pinnacle of the Formula 1 race calendar. It’s a shining moment when the world’s most glamorous crowds descend upon the crystal waters and tropical opulence of the seaside country, all to celebrate and observe great feats of daring and vehicular technology.
Bordered to the north by France, Monaco and Formula 1 opens its doors to yet another herald of luxury, announcing an official partnership with Louis Vuitton to hand-craft a show-stopping carrying trunk for this year’s Grand Prix trophy.
“Fangio, Hill, Moss, Stewart, Senna, Prost, Schumacher or more recently Alonso, Vettel, Rosberg, Ricciardo or Hamilton—the Monaco Grand Prix has celebrated the greatest champions,” Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Michael Burke is quoted in a press release. “At almost 300 km/h between the rails, it's the Formula 1 Grand Prix that all drivers aspire to win one day. Today, we are proud to be associated with the championship and to together start writing a piece of history. The Trophy trunk epitomizes ‘Victory travels in Louis Vuitton’—witnessing the next victories and continuing to carry legends.”
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The French fashion house’s signature monogram as canvas set ablaze with red and white racing stripes. The colors represent Monaco’s flag and the uniquely-urban route the drivers here undertake, while stamping the case in a “V” for “victory.” The golden trophy itself takes the form of the track, showing all 19 turns of the 3.337-km drive.
This collaboration marks a first for Formula 1 and Louis Vuitton, but it is not the brand’s first foray into trophy excellence. The NBA’s 2020 Larry O'Brien Championship trophy was housed in a Louis Vuitton original, as was the 2010, 2014, and 2018 editions of the World Cup; the 2017 and 2018 French Tennis Federation’s Roland-Garros trophy, and most recently, the Summoner’s Cup for the League of Legends 2019 World Championships in Paris.
“We are delighted that the trophy awarding the winner of the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco can now safely travel in ‘first class,’” Michel Boeri, President of Automobile Club de Monaco, is quoted. “Louis Vuitton and Automobile Club de Monaco are at once forerunners and project supervisors in their respective fields of expertise. Louis Vuitton is associated with the most coveted trophies in the world, and this emblematic partnership allows the Formula 1 Grand Prix de MonacoTM Cup to benefit from this heritage, bringing unprecedented elegance into the world of Mechanical Sports.”
Tune in to the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco May 23 to see who takes the trophy and it’s luxurious trunk home.
Photography by: Courtesy Louis Vuitton
