Waving the Damier-Checkered Flag at Louis Vuitton's F1 Debut
LVMH joined Formula 1 in October and, come March, flagship house Louis Vuitton is joining the F1 race as part of the Melbourne Grand Prix. This isn't LV's first lap in F1, mind you, but it is it's most involved leg yet.
Come March 13, the first day of F1 Melbourne 2025, Louis Vuitton will be linking up with F1 for a 10-year partnership.
"As the prestigious motorsport competition celebrates its 75th anniversary through 2025, Louis Vuitton will play an active role at the most emblematic race destinations," according to a press release.
It's not entirely clear what that "active role" will be beyond trackside signage — "a first for the house at a sporting event," according to the release — and the special Trophy Trunk that LV has created for the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco since 2021 (and will still provide for other sport champions).
That Trophy Trunk is, as always, handmade and will now feature special colors that unite it to the regional races in which it'll be distributed.
Further, the venture builds on an existing legacy that goes back to the extremely early days of Louis Vuitton, back when "Louis Vuitton" still referred to an actual person.
Georges Vuitton — the namesake of many extant LV creations — created leather car trunks back in the late 19th century, for instance, utilizing "Vuittonite," a material that evolved into LV's now-famous canvas. LV would continue to create its inimitable trunks amidst the rise of the automobile, eventually organizing classic car races of its own make.
Louis Vuitton's new project with F1 is no less involved, though it is coming at things from a third-party perspective. Amidst the many luxury labels angling for attention at F1, LV found the inside track to beating the pack. Damier-checkered flag when?
