See the first look at the Louis Vuitton ads featuring Madonna! It was rumored that Madonna would be in the Louis Vuitton Spring / Summer 2009 ads and rumors proved to be true. The plans have been made in a French Bistro and baling by fashion photographer Steve Meisel.

After watching a Madonna concert, Marc Jacobs decided to choose as Madonna new image of their model.

Designer Marc Jacobs said: “I just blurted, I think we should do Madonna. I was just absolutely blown by it, and moved by her performance, by what she had to say, and energy.”

It was reported this agreement Madonna pocketed $ 10 million for the campaign, but is also said to be a rumor.

I freely admit that I do not know exactly when the Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull came out. I remember he was still alive provided for the last time I wrote on a Neverfull (the beautiful version crocodile!), And sometimes between then and now, he has shown on eLuxury as a new arrival. And you know what? I love it. It’s not as obvious as Louis Vuitton monogram of the version, but it is still insanely practical, simple and chic. It is a great that can be used year-round for years to come, and in an uncertain economy, longevity of a bag design is something of the spirit more and more people. We all know that the door Vuitton canvas like few other materials, and a bicolor as Damier material may be linked to a variety of choice of clothing. For maximum versatility, I would go with the GM – not too big, not too small, perfect for many uses.

As I mentioned not too long ago, I’m making a small sojourn to Colorado during the first week of November to visit a, uh, well…a good friend of mine, we’ll say. And as I lamented in my last post on the subject, I have no suitcase. Somehow, for some reason, I never managed to acquire one. I’m visiting my parents this weekend and will be borrowing one from them (who, puzzlingly, have lots of suitcases but rarely travel), but if I could have any suitcase in the world, which one would I pick today? Right now, my extravagant side is telling me to go for the Louis Vuitton Damier Geant Canvas Conquerant 65. Its lines are incredibly simple, its branding understated, and if it’s anything like the rest of the Louis Vuitton line, it’s exceptionally durable. I’d never check Louis Vuitton, though, and this suitcase’s dimensions are perfect for a carry-on.

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With joy and delight I learned that none other than Sir Sean Connery was appearing in this new Louis Vuitton ad, supporting the Climate Project. At 78 years of age, the Scotsman still has the same striking looks and vibrant charm that made him world-famous as Double-O Seven – LV could not have picked a better representative for its latest campaign. Bravo!

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Three weeks ago, when our Louis Vuitton PR contact in New York emailed us about the upcoming SoHo Casino Night party just two days ahead of time, Megs and I were bummed to realize that there was no way we would make it. To our delight, a few days later we received a letter with an official invite to the Louis Vuitton Bal Harbour Casino Party, which happened to take place just last night.

In best Casino Royale style, the invite contained a single, custom LV poker chip. Not being much of a gambler myself, the idea of having a casino-themed launch party, showcasing the new Damier Graphite line of bags, got me really excited. Nothing better than sipping on a dry Martini, gazing at new Vuitton goods and maybe winning something at the Blackjack table.

Walking in the door, we were greeted by two lovely ladies, each handing us a few fake $100 bills and encouraging us to lose it all at the Blackjack, Roulette or Poker tables. Refreshments were courtesy of Hennessy and Moët, little hors d’œuvres were spread to the guests by a dozen of ridiculously good-looking guys (which both Megs and Shannon could barel keep their eyes off of!). The new Damier Graphite line was represented in vast quantities, in many shapes and styles, from small leather goods to the big travel Roadster bag. As you’d expect for South Florida, the crowd was diverse and posh, everyone appeared to enjoy themselves tremendously.

I know we did! We did not get to gamble, the few tables’ seats were high in demand. We rather enjoyed the free alcoholic refreshments that came in many varieties, Megs’ got a beautiful new Vuitton scarf. We also got to meet and chat with the store manager Xiomara Liopis, who I would like to thank for inviting us to a fun casino night out. And many thanks to the Bal Harbour staff, as well!

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The first rare treasure that I saw was the trend-setting Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse leopard print cashmere-silk stole. When I saw this online when it first came out, I couldn’t help but think, “Uh, it’s…just a scarf. Kind of a big scarf, but for $725, I’m going to need miles of scarf.” Well, sometimes, things just don’t show up as glorious online as they do in person, because this thing is beautiful. It’s much wider than the average pashmina, and it lit up my outfit of black empire-waist top and skinny jeans as soon as I wrapped it around my neck. It felt lush and luxurious, like I would happily wrap it around myself every single cold day of the year.

Stuff like this? Why I left the AmEx at home.
The next thing we saw, however, not even my AmEx would have been able to accommodate.

As it turns out, the store manager is familiar with our little forum, and he was tremendously friendly and helpful while we were pawing the goods. Right before we left, he said that he had something in the back that he’d like for us to see that he doesn’t show to everyone.

What was it?

The $32,000, Louis Vuitton Crocodile Neverfull in chocolate brown. It’s exceptionally rare to see such a fine crocodile skin in person, and he said that there were only two or three of that particular bag in the whole United States. The texture of the material was so perfect that it almost looked fake (in the best possible way) – the scales were even in shape and size and had a wonderful distribution and arrangement. The color was deep, even and saturated – it was also almost the exact color of milk chocolate and even more delicious.

I asked him if I could take a picture to share, but I knew before I asked that the answer would be that it’s against company policy (can’t blame him for that!). So instead, our lovely member Veez found the above picture for us to illustrate just how gorgeous the bag really is. As with the Stephen Sprouse scarf, pictures do a poor job of capturing the clean, chic elegance of the piece – what may appear simple at first is actually much more upon further inspection.

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In the South, we’re a little weird about college football. If any of you grew up or went to college south of the Mason-Dixon line, you’re already aware of this phenomenon. Not only do our college teams garner much more ardent support than any of our professional teams, but people devote themselves to their Alma maters with an emotional vigor that is rare to find elsewhere in all of sports.

So what’s this got to do with handbags, you say? Well, today is opening day of the 2008 college football season, and although most of the games aren’t until Saturday, a few will be televised tonight and kick off (literally) the happiest 12 weeks of the year for this sports fan. Not only that, but this time of year brings about an odd dressing conundrum for all female football fans that support schools in the South.

Because here, you can’t just wear *anything* to a game. We dress up for football like some people dress up for church – and we do it in our team’s colors. Some schools (particularly those where orange figures prominently, bleh) have a harder time of it than others, and I like to think that my school chose wisely. I am an alumni of The University of Georgia, and our colors are red and black. I’ve bought an untold number of dresses, pairs of shoes, and pieces of jewelry in red and black, thinking, “Great! I can wear this on game day!” In reality, there are only 6 or 7 home games per year, and I have more sundresses and red jewelry than I could ever hope to wear to them.

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Louis Vuitton may be known for their monogram but their logo free designs lure in many LV lovers worldwide. Between the Epi Line and the Suhali Line, Louis Vuitton is able to reach out to those who yearn for a designer bag from a top house without the logo being splashed on. The Louis Vuitton Epi line has an array of bags under the $1,000 mark. but the goat leather of the Suhali line makes the prices jump a bit. But if you are looking for a stunning handbag from Louis Vuitton, the Suhali line is it. For a more entry level item (and lower price), the Louis Vuitton Suhali Clutch is a great start. This is not the clutch to take to the college town bar, though you can, rather it is the timeless elegant clutch that can be used year after year. The Suhali goat leather is hand selected and used in this clutch to resemble the curved shape of the well-known LV Lockit. The leather is soft yet sturdy and offset with golden brass hardware. There is a removable and adjustable wrist strap, which is always a major plus. Dimensions are great, measuring 9.4″x 5.1″x 1.8″. This is a clutch that I would recommend to anyone looking for a leather clutch that works for nearly all occasions and all clothing options.

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Finally a new Louis Vuitton line that men can get really excited about. I know I am. Vuitton debuts the Damier Graphite line of accessories in the attempt to revive, redo and revisit the traditional, checkered Damier design. Discreet, yet wonderfully masculine, the new canvas spans across classics, such as the Keepall 55, the Grimaud or the Cabas. Adding to the fine range of travel bags, LV reveals the new Roadster, a 24h-sport bag with a wide zippered flap for easy access. Even a Damier Graphite Motorcycle Helmet is available for enthusiasts who insist on sporting the ultimate in chic whilst cruising cross Roma on their Vespas.

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I’ve been a casual watcher (although, admittedly, not buyer) of Louis Vuitton jewelry for several years now. My thoughts are normally mixed; they have some very chic, very wearable designs, but I’m not entirely sure that I’d want to buy a piece of obviously branded jewelry (this goes, as well, for Chanel’s beautiful but logo-clad costume jewelry line). I particularly like their resin bracelets as a cute pick-me-up to an otherwise basic casual outfit without piling on an inappropriate amount of bling.

Logos always present a sort of mental block for me – no matter how much I would like something otherwise, I always manage to talk myself out of it if it’s got an obviously displayed brand name. Perhaps it’s because it makes me feel like I’m being somewhat of a bad consumer; if a brand name is obviously displayed, are the odds higher that I’m paying extra for only the name? And as a serious fashion watcher, shouldn’t I be more conscious of such ploys for my extra cash?

More importantly, am I in the financial position to pay $400 for a resin bracelet? Heavens, no. But if I were, I think I’d get over my logo phobia and get the Louis Vuitton Farandole bracelet. I like the lack of sparkle, and I also like that it’s in the colors of their recent camo collection, which don’t often show up in high-end jewelry. This would be wearable during the daytime with jeans and a cute black top (or any similar variation on that theme). Is it subtle? Not particularly, but Louis Vuitton devotees (at least the ones I know) are not subtle people, and if I’m paying that much for something that’s not jeweled, I wouldn’t mind if a few people noticed it, logos and all.

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