《Louis Vuitton Ad Campaign @ FW2011/12》

The Louis Vuitton FW 2011/12 ad campaign shoot was a complex and carefully coordinated operation involving not only six young, up-and-coming models, five vintage cars and their chauffeur, but also seven pairs of pedigree dogs, themselves cast from dozens of hopefuls, all gathered together at a disused aerodrome in Brooklyn. From these somewhat unlikely surroundings, a striking and sophisticated series of images emerged, taking up the narrative of the Louis Vuitton fashion show at the point where the woman leaves her hotel and steps – along with her pet pooch – into her chauffeur-driven limousine. Against the cars' lustrous bodywork, leather upholstery and polished wood fittings, the rich textures of Louis Vuitton's FW2011/12 collection – patent leather, lacquered python, shearling, Mongolian lamb – add a further layer of luxury. The nine visuals also showcase the season's star accessories – among them shiny rubber boots, shearling officer's caps and glazed lambskin gloves – as well as the variations on the iconic Lockit handbag, including the Extraordinaire clutch in alligator with its diamond-paved padlock and handcuff.  Isabelle des Garets, Advertising and Editions Director for Louis Vuitton, comments: "Congratulations to Marc Jacobs and Steven Meisel on a truly extraordinary campaign, and one which – though playful in spirit – demonstrates, in its absolute attention to detail, the remarkable savoir-faire associated with Louis Vuitton."