PARIS – Tightening its ties with art and culture, Louis Vuitton is partnering with the École du Louvre, joining the educational institution as a patron, with a series of grants unveiled Wednesday.
Housed in the Aile de Flore of the Palais du Louvre, the school is a public institution under France’s Ministry of Culture focused on art history, culture, and teaching techniques for the preservation and promotion of heritage. Its location allows for unique proximity and a practical approach to working with historical artworks for museum professionals.
The location has a special significance for Louis Vuitton. The courtyard is a regular location for the fashion shows of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton‘s flagship house, with women’s artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière often staging the brand’s shows within the palace’s courtyard each season.
Men’s artistic director Pharrell Williams followed suit, opening men’s fashion week in January with a splashy, star-studded show there.
Louis Vuitton is now the first brand to become a patron of the school by backing scholarships for eight students over a three-year period.
The program will support the research grants of two doctoral students whose work explores broad themes related to the history of the house of Louis Vuitton and its collections. The grants focus on the world of Louis Vuitton, ranging from any topic in travel and expeditions, art objects, the decorative arts, and universal exhibitions to its collections or the house’s craftsmanship.
It has also sponsored six additional living grants that will be awarded to undergraduate or master’s students from diverse backgrounds.
Students attend classes held in the Louvre Palace and in all the museums in and around Paris.
The Louvre Museum is becoming increasingly intertwined with fashion, hosting its first exhibition of the sort, which opened on Jan. 24. Titled “Louvre Couture: Art and Fashion — Statement Pieces,” the exhibition is dedicated to exploring the relationship between fashion and its own collections.
The exhibit draws on the links between historical objects from the Louvre’s collections, including art, ceramics, tapestries, jewelry, bronzes, stained glass, silverware and more, alongside 65 contemporary fashion ensembles and 35 accessories installed throughout. The exhibit will be celebrated with a gala dinner on March 4 during Paris Fashion Week.
