Overview#
Louis Vuitton has unveiled three bookstands in Shanghai to sell its key printed collections, including City Guides, Fashion Eye, and Travel Books. The bookstands — transformed from three local coffee shops, namely Plusone, Metal Hands, and Manner — are in the cover colors of the Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu editions of the Louis Vuitton City Guide. Visitors can experience the Maison’s unique take on "the art of travel" by dropping by the pop-ups, which will be open from June 25 to July 1.
Netizens’ Reaction#
Visitors can enjoy coffee and receive an eco-friendly tote bag if they purchase at least two of the house’s books. This tactic has helped to drive offline and online traffic. The hashtag “LV Bookstore” has garnered over 168,800 views on Xiaohongshu. According to the social posts, there are long queues outside of the three coffee shops. Some netizens have even visited all three locations to collect the limited-edition tote bags.
Verdict
Prior to Shanghai, Louis Vuitton had launched bookstores and book kiosks across the country, including in Beijing, Chengdu, Aranya, and Xiamen. Although partnering with coffee brands is nothing new in China, Louis Vuitton walks a fine line between maintaining its exclusivity and engaging broader local communities. Instead of collaborating with a coffee or tea chain and making the special offers available nationwide, the brand decided to convert three different shops in popular neighborhoods in Shanghai into bookstores, allowing the City Guide initiative, rather than the coffee, to take center stage. This ensures brand integrity and allows the pop-ups to resonate with the right audience.
Louis Vuitton’s dedication to print publication and sharing its travel culture has been consistent since it was founded in 1854. The house’s printed books feature insider guides to cities, artist sketches and photography works.
As Jing Daily’s report Winning China’s High-Spending Cultural Consumer: The Future Of Luxury points out, a key distinction must be made between consumption and collecting. And collecting does not just entail splurging on Louis Vuitton Trunks or other high-ticket products — even a branded book or tote bag can become covetable items.