Opening November 13 during Paris Photo, the immersive exhibition explores photographer Bruno Aveillan’s travels with his Louis Vuitton Alzer suitcase
Louis Vuitton will unveil La Valise Bruno Aveillan, a new immersive exhibition at LV Dream in Paris, on November 13, 2026, coinciding with Paris Photo. Dedicated to the work of French photographer and filmmaker Bruno Aveillan, the exhibition explores his longstanding relationship with the house’s Alzer suitcase through photography, film, archival objects, and interactive displays. The presentation also concludes Louis Vuitton’s yearlong celebration of the Monogram’s 130th anniversary, bringing together the house’s travel heritage and Aveillan’s personal artistic perspective.
At the center of the exhibition is Aveillan’s Alzer 75 suitcase, which he received as a gift 13 years ago and subsequently carried to more than 100 destinations. What began as a personal photographic project evolved into an extensive visual diary, with the suitcase appearing across landscapes, cities, and unexpected encounters. Sometimes occupying the center of the composition and at other times barely visible, the object becomes a recurring presence through which Aveillan explores travel, memory, and the passage of time. The project is also documented in The Suitcase, a book co-published by Flammarion and Noir.
“In a sense, this series is also indirectly a self-portrait. The suitcase is present wherever I go; it is my traveling companion,” Aveillan said. “In a way, it encapsulates my relationship with travel, cinema, photography, memory, and the beauty of places.”
The exhibition unfolds across five rooms, beginning with an introduction to the artist and his personal effects before exploring Louis Vuitton’s historic relationship with travel and exploration. Archival pieces include the house’s Bed trunk, an aluminum Cabin trunk, and a specially commissioned photographer’s trunk created for French banker and philanthropist Albert Kahn. Designed to protect photographic and cinematographic equipment used in Kahn’s Les Archives de la Planète project, the latter would later inspire Nicolas Ghesquière’s Petite Malle handbag.
A dedicated section examines the development of the Alzer suitcase, introduced in the late 1950s as Louis Vuitton adapted its luggage offering to changing modes of travel. Displays highlight the model’s construction, materials, and manufacturing techniques, alongside Aveillan’s Savoir et Faire Louis Vuitton photographic series, commissioned in 2012 to document the craftsmanship of the house’s Asnières-sur-Seine workshops. The presentation also traces the suitcase’s cultural history, including its association with figures such as Audrey Hepburn, André Leon Talley, and Lauren Bacall.
The exhibition’s central photographic gallery organizes Aveillan’s work around seven themes: Crossings, Refuges, Presences, Horizons, Wild, Cities, and Silences. Together, the images explore the emotional and physical dimensions of travel, from moments of departure and temporary shelter to encounters with unfamiliar landscapes and people. The suitcase serves as a visual constant throughout, connecting otherwise disparate environments through a shared sense of movement and discovery.
Film also plays an important role in the presentation. Visitors can view Aveillan’s 2008 cinematic work for Louis Vuitton, alongside In the Footsteps of Bruno Aveillan, a short documentary directed by Mathieu Spadaro. Presented across three screens, the latter combines previously unseen footage and personal archives to offer insight into the photographer’s travels and creative process.
The experience concludes with a pop-up bookstore featuring publications from Les Éditions Louis Vuitton, including the City Guide, Fashion Eye, and Travel Book collections, as well as The Suitcase. The adjoining gift store offers leather goods, travel accessories, collectibles, and personalization services. At Le Café Maxime Frédéric, visitors can also explore The Odyssey, a new shared lunch experience inspired by creations from the Louis Vuitton Culinary Community.
La Valise Bruno Aveillan opens to the public on November 13 at LV Dream, located at 26 Quai de la Mégisserie in Paris. The exhibition is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with free admission by reservation.
Through its combination of personal photography, historical objects, and contemporary exhibition design, the presentation offers a perspective on Louis Vuitton’s enduring relationship with travel. By placing a single suitcase at the center of a photographic journey spanning more than a decade, the house connects its heritage of craftsmanship with the individual experiences and memories that give its creations meaning.
