As Louis Vuitton’s Core Values advertising campaign enters 2010, Annie Leibovitz, the photographer whose remarkable portraits have greatly contributed to its success, turns her lens upon herself in the company of her long-time friend, the legendary dancer and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Never before has an Annie Leibovitz self-portrait appeared in the context of an advertising campaign, and the story behind it is almost as fascinating as the image itself. Over the course of their three-year collaboration on the Core Values campaign, Louis Vuitton and Annie Leibovitz have forged a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Given the photographer’s recent personal and financial troubles, Louis Vuitton wished to offer support in the most positive way possible, and suggested that she become the next exceptional personality to feature in the Core Values campaign. Annie Leibovitz was touched and flattered, and accepted on the condition that the self-portrait should show her alongside one of the stars she has spent her life photographing – her close friend Mikhail Baryshnikov.
One of the foremost dancers of the 20th century, Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War and went on, in the course of an exceptionally long career, to grace the world’s greatest stages, before breaking new ground as an artistic director and choreographer. For Louis Vuitton, he is photographed in Annie Leibovitz’s New York studio, standing on a box in his dancer’s uniform of black T-shirt and trousers, with a subtle spotlight falling on his uniquely gifted feet. Annie Leibovitz sits on the floor nearby. Next to her is her camera, from which she is rarely parted, and a Louis Vuitton Neverfull holdall in Monogram canvas packed with books on dance.
The tagline reads: “The journey of a star captured in a flash”.
Antoine Arnault, Head of Communications at Louis Vuitton, comments: “We have the greatest respect and admiration for Annie Leibovitz, both as a person and as a professional. We were delighted to be able to offer her our support in troubled times, and she has responded like the consummate artist she is, with a truly exceptional image which – with its association of photography and dance – once again broadens the scope of our Core Values campaign.”
About Louis Vuitton Core Values
Louis Vuitton has launched a major corporate advertising campaign centered on travel, the foundation of its identity and its defining value.
As the pioneer of the art du voyage, the prestigious trunkmaker reaffirms its rich 150-year heritage and longstanding ties with outstanding figures the world over.
The campaign revisits the brand’s heritage with a completely fresh interpretation of the concept of travel in an emotional sense, viewed as a personal journey, a process of self-discovery. The campaign debuted in September 2007 in major international titles alongside seasonal fashion ads. This is the first wave in the global corporate advertising campaign, to be followed by new takes on the concept in the future.
International statesman Mikhail Gorbachev, husband-and-wife tennis stars André Agassi and Steffi Graf, and film icon Catherine Deneuve are the four fascinating personalities of global stature who were photographed for Louis Vuitton by renowned portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz. The portraits are complemented by a series of still-life visuals which evoke an instant in the life of each personality in settings associated with travel.
Actively committed to promoting environmental responsibility and sustainable development, Louis Vuitton shares the convictions of the exceptional people in the campaign. It will make donations to The Climate Project, spearheaded by Al Gore, on behalf of Catherine Deneuve, André Agassi and Steffi Graf. For Mikhail Gorbachev, the donation will be made to Green Cross International, of which he is the founder and Chairman.
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Louis Vuitton Core Values
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