Louis Vuitton And Marc Newson Debuts The Maison’s First Aluminium Suitcase

When Louis Vuitton launched its first collaboration with Marc Newson more than 10 years ago, he was already one of the most celebrated industrial designers of his generation. His most famous creation, the Lockheed Lounge, holds the record for the highest price paid at auction for the work of a living designer—US$3.7 million at a Phillips auction. With a portfolio spanning virtually every industry sector, from furniture to aircraft design, Newson’s work continues to be referenced in contemporary design.

In 2014, Newson created a limited-edition biomorphic rucksack with the maison to celebrate the Monogram before debuting the Horizon collection, a premier line of luxury rolling luggage that would be to 21st-century travellers what the trunk once was to Louis Vuitton’s contemporaries, eventually establishing itself as an iconic Louis Vuitton piece.

In 2026, the collaboration celebrates its 10th year, and to mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton embarks on a new chapter with the Horizon Aluminum, the brand’s first aluminium suitcase.

Renowned for its durability and boundless recyclability, aluminium perfectly embodies Newson’s creative philosophy, serving as a signature material of the designer’s work. Aluminium also echoes the maison’s history, when, at the end of the 19th century, Louis Vuitton designed heavy-duty aluminium trunks for explorers. This fusion of heritage and innovation has led to a new generation of suitcases, crafted for the modern traveller.

The shell is created through a series of stamping and laser-cutting processes that shape aluminium sheets while retaining the rounded curves that define the Horizon suitcase’s signature features. The final stage of the stamping process involves embossing the Monogram motif in the aluminium in lieu of the usual grooves typically found on this type of case, turning the interlocking ‘LV’ initials and the floral motifs into a key structural element.

True to his minimalist aesthetic, Newson then set about making mechanical components such as rivets and hinges invisible. Thus, traditional rivets were replaced with an ultra-thin frame system attached to the shell. This concept of shells crafted from a single-piece, full-depth 3D mould, with no folding or riveting, makes the Horizon Aluminum the first rivet-free aluminium suitcase on the market. At its base, enlarged wheels crafted from flexible material dampen shocks and vibrations, while the corners and handles are adorned with VVN or black leather, lending the suitcase its refined feel.

Accompanying the Horizon Aluminum, the Vanity Case features the same aesthetic and technical design cues: aluminium embossed with the Monogram, an ultra-slim frame, concealed hinges, and VVN or a black leather trim. An elastic strap on the back of the Vanity Case allows it to be secured to the suitcase’s telescopic handle.

Louis Vuitton