Nordstrom's Louis Vuitton Fetes Opening

Pete Nordstrom and Daniel Lalonde with Kwame Brown

Amalie Drury in a dress from Peacock Boutique
and Marissa Conrad

Say hello to Louis Vuitton’s third Michigan Avenue boutique, a 2,000-square-foot expanse of leather goods, sunglasses, ties, and shoes, located right across from the designer shoe department on Nordstrom’s main floor. Daniel Lalonde, President and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America, and Pete Nordstrom, President of Merchandising for the department store, invited Chicago to celebrate the opening of the newest location on Thursday, July 10. The floor was packed with guests sipping champagne and showing off their own favorite Vuitton accessories.

The crowd also shopped the impressive collection of Vuitton’s latest creations, and a percentage of the sales went to Chicago Children’s Charities. Favorites included the new Monogramouflage bags lining the walls and the huge selection of shoes, which disappeared quickly from their glass casing throughout the night.

A private dinner at Table Fifty-Two followed the party, where Chef Art Smith treated guests to an intimate dinner.

This is Vuitton’s first department store collaboration since 1995 (with Bloomingdale’s New York), but the French house believes they will target a particular, thriving consumer group. “We are thrilled to enter into this new partnership with Nordstrom and are confident it will be a successful venture,” said Lalonde. “There is no better city to open our first Nordstrom location in than Chicago, where Louis Vuitton first debuted in the United States.”

The partnership is unusual for Nordstrom, a retailer that normally does not lease space within stores. However, Nordstrom is expanding its luxury designer business, and no brand wields more label power than Vuitton. When asked why Vuitton became Nordstrom’s first in-store partnership, Pete Nordstrom’s reply was simple: “It’s Louis Vuitton! Louis Vuitton is the very best, and they have a great culture of service,” he told Factio. “It’s the perfect solution.”
- Grace Bahk

Here's what our fashionable friends loved from last night's Vuitton party and their view on Chicago's retail scene...

Suzanne Kopulous, Chris Sofka, Marissa Conrad, Amanda Puck

Amanda Puck, EVP of Public Relations, XA, The Experiential Agency
I loved the smoking gold rimmed sun glasses that artist Francine Turk was rocking out! Those were super chic and hot. I think it's great Nordstrom chose Chicago for their first in-store LV boutique. It adds to the luxury accessory collections they currently carry, such as Lanvin and YSL, but is special as it is in a branded boutique. Chicago is making its mark each season not only on the food and travel fronts, but also fashion and retail. It clearly says we are the place to be, and luxury is here to stay.

Charles Boesel and Cathleen Marine

Keven Aeh, The Get Editor, Time Out Chicago
Although I wasn't really feeling the Monogramouflage items by Takashi Murakami at first, I have found myself thinking about those bags a couple of times today, almost 24 hours later. (That must mean I like them!) They're not really my typical style—I'm usually all about plain and simple, logo-free items—but I really wouldn't mind carrying the luggage around on my next trip. And why not mix it up a bit? Plus, even though it's technically camouflage, something tells me that bag would never blend in at the airport...I think it's really exciting that the first LV boutique within a department has made its debut in Chicago. I think it'll bring in a lot of new shoppers to the brand. You know, people who might be too intimidated to walk in to a stand alone Louis Vuitton store, but feel perfectly comfortable inside Nordstrom.

Diego Rocha and Tracey Mayer

Tracey Mayer, Chicago Jewelry Designer

For handbags, I am a fan of local designer Diego Rocha, but I do like Louis Vuitton's luggage. I think it's fantastic that Nordstrom chose Chicago as the first in-store destination for Louis Vuitton! It's a clear indication that Nordstrom believes Chicago is becoming more of a fashion destination, with the type of clients to support a label like LV. Of course, I love the Michigan Avenue store and am proud that my own collection is sold at that location!

Gregg Zgonena and Sara Albrecht
Daniel Lalonde and Nate Berkus