Louis Vuitton brings Art Deco into the modern luxury home

If the response to Louis Vuitton’s exhibition at Milan Design Week this year is anything to go by, Art Deco is enjoying a renewed moment – especially in Asia. Headlining its Objets Nomades showcase was the Pierre Legrain Hommage collection, featuring pieces that reinterpret the French designer’s furniture for contemporary living.

“We sold a lot of the Legrain pieces to Asian clients,” said Nathalie Fremon, senior vice president of architecture and home collections at Louis Vuitton. “It's not always easy to get their attention, because there's a lot going on. I think they were very happy with it.”

A look at the catalogue makes it easy to see why. The standout piece was surely the Celeste Dressing Table, distinguished by its inverted omega-like form. It was the first piece of furniture ever commissioned by Louis Vuitton, which worked with Legrain to create it in 1921.

Today, Celeste has been updated in lacquered wood and cowhide leather, and is available in four colour combinations, including black and caramel. A pair of drawers with Louis Vuitton’s classic handles completes the revamp.

“We wanted to put this piece in the public eye again, as we wanted to highlight how modern it was, although it was designed 100 years ago,” said Fremon in an exclusive online interview with CNA Luxury from her office in Paris.

Her decision to spotlight Art Deco came amid a lively revival of the movement in France, as it marked its centenary in 2025. Beyond exhibitions such as 1925–2025. One Hundred Years of Art Deco at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, she is also working on what she calls an “important project” linked to the movement, although she declined to share more for now.

“I've been reading many books on Art Deco and flicking through the pages of Legrain’s work. The more I flicked and saw all the beautiful art, it was like a world that opened to me,” said Fremon of the French designer, who left an indelible mark on the movement.

She was also excited to learn how active Louis Vuitton had been during that era. This was led by the founder’s grandson, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, who was recognised as one of the family’s most creative members. Among other things, he surrounded himself with many artists and designers, including Legrain.

Under Gaston’s leadership, Louis Vuitton began diversifying its offerings by working with different talents. From a house best known for travel trunks, it soon branched out into perfume bottles, handbags and, with Legrain, furniture.

“The Art Deco feel is very contemporary, even though it had been designed many years ago. When you look at their graphics, colours and ideas, they look like part of our world,” Fremon explained. She felt the same way about Legrain’s body of work – from drawings and furniture to bookbinding – which made it an easy decision to curate a collection around him.

To celebrate Gaston’s collaborative spirit, Fremon also worked with different designers to interpret Legrain’s work. For instance, award-winning design duo Raw Edges created a new edition of the Dolls chair using the Art Deco-style Metropolis textile. Its geometric pattern was inspired by a book cover designed by Legrain.

Taking a step back, Fremon pointed out that it is important to remember the purpose of the Objets Nomades collection, which was launched in 2012. Rather than a strategic move to diversify the brand, it was intended to demonstrate Louis Vuitton’s exceptional know-how through the lens of contemporary designers.

“The spirit of innovation was the first thing that led the collection. Then, it was the idea to do things that people don't expect from us – to be somewhere where nobody expects Louis Vuitton to be. I think surprising people is very important.”

That spirit also explains the one-of-a-kind pieces displayed at Milan Design Week this year, such as the Cocoon Dichroic by Estudio Campana with Geraldine Gonzalez. Inspired by the translucent dichroic glass facade of Louis Vuitton’s Beijing flagship store, it has a fringe-like covering that brings to mind a “fur coat” worn by a time traveller from the future.

Even as it wowed visitors with its artistry, it still felt as though it could belong in a residential setting. Fremon was quick to add that when curating the collections, she is constantly thinking about how people will use the pieces and combine them with other items in their homes.

To her, luxury living today is as much about originality as it is about comfort. “The interior of your house reflects your spirit. Nobody wants to have a house that everybody has,” she added.

Equally important is the idea of customisation, which is why she is mindful of offering Louis Vuitton’s clients choices. For example, the Puzzle Dining Table MM, created with Patrick Jouin, has an interchangeable top that allows for a wide variety of configurations.

“I think now, people are more looking into a day-to-day relationship with our products. They are very happy, for instance, to have their breakfast with our beautiful tableware.”

In fact, she said Objets Nomades has evolved so much that clients can now almost furnish their homes entirely with Louis Vuitton pieces – something Fremon said took time to build while staying true to the spirit and ethos of the house. The 2026 edition contained what she called “the full universe of the home”, including textiles such as carpets, upholstery and throws.

More recently, Louis Vuitton has also received requests from clients around the world, including in Asia, to design their homes. While it is not yet ready to offer such a service, Fremon sees the market’s readiness for a full Louis Vuitton interior as “a very positive sign”.

If the service becomes available in Asia, she expects demand for limited-edition collectibles. In China especially, she has seen strong interest in large, one-of-a-kind furniture pieces.

Another hit is the Art of Dining tableware collection. At Milan Design Week this year, an Asian client wanted to purchase the entire table setting staged in one of the exhibition rooms. “I was like, wow, she imagined herself inviting friends or family and having a table like that. It’s amazing,” said Fremon.

The textiles are proving just as popular. Available in a wide variety of colours, prints and materials – from cashmere and silk to alpaca wool – they have also found success among Asian clients.

Fremon noted a heightened appreciation for the artisans Louis Vuitton works with. Citing the example of a box handmade using wood marquetry, she said clients value the craftsmanship behind it, something she sees as important to both Asian and French cultures.

By contrast, hand-painted ceramic plates made in Italy are also popular because they differ from the porcelain more commonly found in Asia. “If you want to buy a piece of Louis Vuitton, you want something that doesn't look like what you can find in the store next door,” she added.

This also explains why pieces from the Pierre Legrain Hommage collection resonated so strongly with Asian clients at Milan Design Week. By marrying his Paris-born Art Deco language with today’s desire for comfort and originality, Louis Vuitton has turned a century-old movement into a compelling proposition for how we want to live at home today.