Ten years after launching the Horizon luggage line, Louis Vuitton and industrial designer Marc Newson – most recently behind Ferrari’s Luce – have reunited to unveil the Horizon Aluminium, the maison’s first aluminium suitcase and a technically ambitious evolution of its contemporary travel offering.
The project builds on a longstanding dialogue around innovation, engineering and movement. Newson’s relationship with Louis Vuitton spans more than a decade, encompassing everything from a limited-edition biomorphic backpack to the sculptural bottles created for the House’s fragrance collection. In 2023, the pair notably unveiled ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, a playful reinterpretation of the Louis Vuitton trunk featuring cube-like compartments upholstered in leather and suede.
Yet the Horizon line remains perhaps the most enduring expression of the partnership. First introduced in 2016, Horizon distilled Newson’s streamlined industrial design language into a lightweight suitcase engineered for the modern traveller.
The engineering of Louis Vuitton’s new Horizon Aluminum
Constructed from stamped and laser-cut aluminium, the Horizon Aluminium draws on a material long associated with Marc Newson’s bold, future-facing design language – from his seminal LC1 lounge chair of 1984 onwards – while also nodding to Louis Vuitton’s own legacy of crafting aluminium trunks for explorers and adventurers in the late 19th century. Accompanying the suitcase is a matching Vanity Case, finished in the same embossed aluminium and engineered with the same concealed technical detailing.
Described as the first rivet-free aluminium suitcase on the market, the Horizon Aluminium replaces conventional folded and riveted construction with a single-piece, full-depth shell mounted to an ultra-thin frame. External hinges have been eliminated entirely, their function absorbed into discreet mechanisms hidden within the body of the case. Even the Monogram pattern serves a practical purpose. Embossed directly into the aluminium surface, it enhances structural rigidity while eliminating the need for the reinforcing grooves typically found on hard-shell luggage.
Newson’s longstanding obsession with efficiency is evident throughout. An externally mounted trolley system frees up additional packing space inside, while oversized wheels and an extra-wide telescopic handle improve manoeuvrability in transit. Leather corner reinforcements, TSA-approved locks and a removable protective cover add further refinement. Available with either natural VVN leather or black leather trim, the collection has been engineered with longevity in mind, allowing for straightforward repair and maintenance over time.
The Louis Vuitton Horizon Aluminium will be released globally on 12 June via the Louis Vuitton website. Prices start at £2,580 for the Louis Vuitton Vanity Aluminium Case and £3,500 for the Louis Vuitton Horizon 55 Aluminium Suitcase.