Not new but this Japanese ad for Louis Vuitton is just amazing, I love it!
While waiting to meet her friends outside of a Louis Vuitton store, Aya’scell phone is eaten by the LV Panda, who then promptly swallows Aya - but the inside of his stomach is gateway to a psychadelic wonderland. Based on characters created by famed superflat artist Takashi Murakami.

The next time I see a Panda I am running in the opposite direction !

A close friend of Louis Vuitton’s creative director Marc Jacobs, filmmaker Sophia Coppola is collaborating with the brand to design a one-off collection of handbags and shoes.

Little else is known about the collaboration at this stage. It is expected that the new collection will initially only be available in Japan like LV’s current collaboration with Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo, before being available at Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.

Sophia and her famous father Francis Ford Coppola, recently starred in Louis Vuitton’s “core values” ad campaign, which was photographed by Annie Leibovitz. The “Lost In Translation” Oscar winner’s is currently in Paris for the shows, and will no doubt be front row at Louis Vuitton on Sunday to support her best friend Marc Jacobs, and maybe even to get some ideas for her own line : )

You know there’s not just the Louis Vuitton Luggage to make your trip the stylish one ever! There’s also the latest edition of the Louis Vuitton City Guides!

For 10 years, the Louis Vuitton City Guides have been capturing the spirit of cities. Now with the new 2009 edition, there are many new destinations and new sections with a vintage-inspired look inspired from the label’s iconic travelling trunks.

Whether you’re headed to Asia, Europe or just a quick getaway to Miami, the guides are full of wonderful suggestions for restaurants, hotels, sightseeing as well as local destinations that are not usually on a tourist’s radar. In addition, the revamped Guides will feature personal tips from the likes of Italian actress Monica Belluci on Rome and Barneys creative director Simon Doonan on New York.

The newly revised City guides will be available at LV boutiques worldwide from 15th October and costs from $25 up.

(On the picture below : Previous 2008 guides)

Internationally renowned and highly regarded for name recognition in the fashion world, as a result LV has become one of the most counterfeited contemporary luxury brands. In fact, according to LV, just over 1% of the items bearing the trademark LV monogram would be authentic (Wikipedia) !!!

Ironically, the signature Monogram Canvas was created to prevent counterfeiting. In 2004, Louis Vuitton fakes accounted for 18% of counterfeit accessories seized in the European Union.

LV takes a serious view of all counterfeiting, employing a team of lawyers and special investigation agencies, actively pursuing offenders through the courts worldwide, and allocating about half of its budget of communications to counteract piracy of its goods.

Interestingly, the logo also makes its way to goods that would never, ever be associated with the Louis Vuitton brand. The ‘Design You Trust’ blogs collected several great examples; Here are a few of our favorites:

Louis Vuitton has recently enriched its Tambour watch collection with the Louis Vuitton Tambour Forever black.

This Swiss-made Tambour Forever timepiece is made of round polished steel case with logo-etched sides and adorning the front is a diamond monogram flower and horns resting on a sun-ray effect charcoal gray face.

This background makes the monogram flower even more eye-catching. Within the flower are 122 0.56 carats brilliant-cut white diamonds.

Quartz movement, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and waterproof to 100m - Such excellent timepiece comes with a corresponding great price of $6,950.

Below are other great (and expensve!) watches from Tambour Watch Collection :

Tambour 18 Fizz - 6.45 Karat, 18K Platinum Diamond Wrist Watch, about $136,000

Tambour 18 Chamallow - 1.14 Karat, 18K Platinum Diamond Wrist Watch, about $24,000

Tambour 18 Berlingot - 18K Gold Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald Wrist Watch, about $21,000

Tambour 18 Dragee - 18K Gold Wrist Watch, about $14,000

Tambour Forever LV 277 - Limited to 20 Worldwide - 6.73 Karat Diamond, 18K Platinum, Black Crocodile Skin Strap, about $75,000

Tambour Bijou Taipei - Limited to 88 Worldwide - 0.84 Karat Diamond, 0.31 Karat Pink/Sapphire Diamond Monogram Logo with Pink Mink Strap, about $8,000

Tambour Lovely Cup - 0.74 Karat Diamond, 18K Gold Wrist Watch, about $19,000

Louis Vuitton recently released their latest jewelry collection called 1001 Nuits, or 1001 Nights.

One of the pieces I like best in the collection is the Louis Vuitton 1001 Nights Bracelet -$725.00.

There are also other items included in the 1001 Nights Collection that are worth checking out like the earrings, necklace, ring and the hair barrette. All the pieces are made of Gold finished brass with Swarovski crystals.

1001 nights earrings - $515

1001 nights necklace - $560

1001 nights ring - $355

1001 Nights Hair Barrette - $355