Louis Vuitton teams with FIFA World Cup for football fashion

French fashion label Louis Vuitton is leveraging its customization capabilities to commemorate the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

For the third time, the brand is partnering with the tournament to help safely transport its trophy to Moscow, where the games will be held this year. Taking the partnership further, Louis Vuitton is also letting soccer fans mark the event through a new licensed leather goods collection.

"Reinforcing your heritage is every luxury executive’s responsibility, and leveraging it to increase sales is the natural procession," said Chris Ramey, president of Affluent Insights, Miami.

"Tapping into a complementary passion beyond your own brand’s passion is a unique opportunity," he said. "Vuitton’s FIFA Case fulfills aspirations otherwise not likely considered or realized."

Mr. Ramey is not affiliated with Louis Vuitton, but agreed to comment as an industry expert. Louis Vuitton was reached for comment.

Football fashion

Louis Vuitton has created the World Cup’s trunk since 2010. Made-to-order, the case was handcrafted in Louis Vuitton’s production facility in Asnières, France.

Louis Vuitton's trophy case. Image credit: FIFA

The trunk will both transport and display the trophy, which will be revealed during the opening and closing games of the World Cup on June 14 and July 15, respectively.

Along with the trunk that will house the trophy, Louis Vuitton teamed with Adidas to create a limited-edition trunk to hold soccer balls. The case includes 13 Adidas-made recreations of official match balls dating back to 1970.

Louis Vuitton also designed a ball housed in the trunk, of which only 21 were made.

Louis Vuitton designed a soccer ball. Image courtesy of Louis Vuitton

For the first time, Louis Vuitton is taking its FIFA partnership to retail. A licensed collection of leather goods includes a specially created logo for the Russia championship bearing the “L.V.” initials.

This logo, which resembles a team crest, includes lettering originally used on a trunk for Gaston-Louis Vuitton.

The collection includes Louis Vuitton’s Keepall and Apollo bags along with small leather goods.

Consumers can show their team pride through a customization program for the Keepall, which allows them to create a bag in the colors of their country’s flag.

The Louis Vuitton 2018 FIFA World Cup official licensed product collection will be sold online and at 50 Louis Vuitton boutiques from June 14 through the month of July.

Louis Vuitton will also be celebrating the World Cup by opening a pop-up at Moscow’s Crocus City Mall. This temporary outpost will debut May 30 and remain open until July 31.

Goal
Louis Vuitton is not the only LVMH brand gearing up for the FIFA World Cup.

With the FIFA World Cup only a few weeks away, Swiss watchmaker Hublot is celebrating its love of soccer with a new campaign featuring some of the sport’s greatest players.

Hublot has recruited legends such as Pelé and Diego Maradona as some of the faces of its latest campaign, called "Hublot Loves Football." As the World Cup tournament’s arrival becomes imminent, Hublot is hoping to capitalize on one of the most widely watched events in the world (see story).

Soccer is a sport with an avid and global fan base, something that other brands have tapped into.

Audi of America is making it easier for fans of Major League Soccer to follow and track players’ statistics in real-time.

The league-wide Audi Player Index is now integrated into the MLS Match Center and MLS mobile application, allowing soccer enthusiasts to see a numerical breakdown of player actions as they happen. Taking its sponsorship of Major League Soccer beyond brand placement, this data-driven touchpoint enables Audi to become part of fans' viewing experiences (see story).

"Shared passions and scarcity manifests high margins," Affluent Insights' Mr. Ramey said. "Leveraging experiences to sell product is core to Vuitton and many luxury brands.

"Find a passion and you’ll find luxury brands nearby," he said.