[Luxury World] A 10 Million Won Luxury Bag Tunnel... The World's Largest 'Louis Vuitton' Experiential Space

"Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul" Opens at Shinsegae Main Branch on November 29
An Experiential Space Showcasing Louis Vuitton Heritage
Six Floors, 4,890 Square Meters: Third Location After Shanghai and Bangkok
From Exhibition Spaces to Ch

As you enter through the South Gate of The Reserve at the Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch in Myeong-dong, Seoul, you are greeted by Louis Vuitton hat boxes, the symbol of luxury travel. The space, adorned with 249 hat boxes suspended from the ceiling, is the very embodiment of luxury.

On November 29, luxury brand Louis Vuitton opened its experiential space, "Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul," at The Reserve in the Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch. Spanning six floors, this is the brand’s third experiential space following Shanghai, China, and Bangkok, Thailand. With a total area of 4,890 square meters, it is the largest of its kind in the world.

The entrance on the first floor of "Louis Vuitton Visionary Journey Seoul." The 249 "hat boxes" decorating the ceiling marked the beginning of the space. Photo by Jae Hyun Park

A Louis Vuitton representative explained, "Seoul is one of the most sought-after destinations for luxury brands, and we have chosen The Reserve at Shinsegae in Myeong-dong, the area with the highest visibility. The experiential space is designed to provide an immersive experience of Louis Vuitton’s history, craftsmanship, and heritage."

Throughout Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul, visitors can discover hidden Korean elements. The entrance to the VIP room on the second floor features traditional Korean patterns, and a total of 25 art pieces welcome guests. The stairway wall leading to the third floor is adorned with a Hanji craftwork by artist Hyunjung Lee, who is active in New York, and the store’s interior is decorated with colors inspired by traditional Korean saekdong (striped fabrics). By reinterpreting the striped elements of saekdong, the space has been crafted into a bright and sophisticated environment that reflects artisanal spirit.

The most distinctive area is the exhibition space on the fourth and fifth floors. The entrance to the viewing gallery on the fifth floor begins with a tunnel-shaped "Trunkscape" surrounded by hat boxes. The exhibition illustrates the journey from when founder Louis Vuitton learned packing techniques from Parisian trunk maker Romain Mar?chal before establishing the brand, to the creation of the iconic monogram logo. Visitors can also explore 12 independent spaces, each showcasing a different aspect of Louis Vuitton’s history, including watches, picnics, bespoke creations, ateliers, testing, icons, monogram, music, collaborations, fashion, and lanterns.

The brand traces its origins to 1854, when Louis Vuitton began making lightweight, airtight travel trunks on Rue Neuve-des-Capucines in Paris. Since then, it has expanded to offer leather goods such as bags, as well as clothing, shoes, fragrances, watches, jewelry, sunglasses, and accessories, growing into a globally renowned luxury brand.

Works displayed throughout the 'Louis Vuitton Visionary Journey Seoul' space. Photo by Jaehyun Park

A collaborative work displayed in the exhibition space on the 5th floor. It is a monogram bag created in collaboration with Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami. Photo by Jaehyun Park

The exhibition space also features the process of making products at Louis Vuitton’s Manier workshop, as well as various collaborative works with renowned figures such as Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murakami. Notably, the "music"-themed space is unique to Seoul and is not found in Bangkok or Shanghai. A Louis Vuitton representative explained, "As the influence of K-pop and K-culture has grown, we created a dedicated music exhibition space to capture Seoul’s unique character."

Menus presented at the chocolate shop 'Le Chocolat Maxim Frederic at Louis Vuitton'. The blue decoration symbolizes Seoul. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

The exhibition concludes on the fourth floor with "Le Caf? Louis Vuitton" and the chocolate shop "Le Chocolat Maxime Fr?d?ric at Louis Vuitton." Both spaces are overseen by world-renowned chef Maxime Fr?d?ric, who presents menus that blend French tradition with Korean sensibilities. These venues are open to all visitors of Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul. In particular, the chocolate shop is the brand’s fourth location after Paris, New York, and Singapore, with prices ranging from 39,000 to 489,000 won. The chocolate adorned with blue, symbolizing Seoul, is an exclusive item available only here.

Visitors can also experience the cuisine of Chef Park Junghyun, known for the Michelin two-star restaurant Atomix in New York. Louis Vuitton plans to build a gourmet community and offer Korean-style course meals through the chef’s first restaurant in Korea. Scheduled to open on the sixth floor in January next year, "JP at Louis Vuitton" will be the brand’s first contemporary dining space worldwide. Pricing has not yet been disclosed.

Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul is a central pillar of Shinsegae’s "Myeongdong Town" project. Shinsegae is currently pursuing a flagship initiative to transform the area around its main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, into a luxury town to attract global VIP customers. To this end, following the opening of the luxury boutique "The Heritage" at the main branch last April, "The Reserve (Main Building)" was also renovated.

Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul occupies more than half of The Reserve at Shinsegae, underscoring its significance. A Shinsegae Department Store representative explained, "Compared to the existing online e-commerce market, what sets offline-based retailers apart is luxury brands. Among major department stores, Shinsegae boasts the highest proportion of luxury brands."