Louis Vuitton & UNICEF Mark 10-Year Partnership with Rare Sotheby’s Auction

In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the LOUIS VUITTON for UNICEF partnership, the House is delighted to announce the auction's launch of the Louis Vuitton Unity Time Object. This exceptional, one-of-a-kind objet d'art will be sold exclusively at Sotheby's from June 9th to 18th, with hammer price dedicated to UNICEF.

This year marks a milestone decade between Louis Vuitton and UNICEF, which continues its ongoing commitment to helping and supporting the world's most vulnerable children – embarking on a year of special activations that pay tribute to this 10-year partnership.

The House now turns to the world of sport, an everlasting source of inspiration for Louis Vuitton, and takes its cue from its iconic Monogram canvas soccer ball. This iconic symbol of soccer is now reimagined through the lens of horological artistry, named the Louis Vuitton Unity Time Object. It brings together La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton unique watchmaking expertise, the know-how of L'Epée 1839, and Louis Vuitton's savoir-faire in trunkmaking. Transforming the energy of sport into a bold, ultra-contemporary creation, this unique time object is a true connoisseur's piece that will be sold in an exclusive auction with Sotheby, with proceeds benefitting UNICEF to support its life-saving humanitarian work for vulnerable children.

As Matthieu Hegi, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton artistic director, said: “For this Louis Vuitton Unity Time Object, we chose a soccer ball – a theme that the House has long explored. We were inspired to create this special piece of art that integrates subtle references to Louis Vuitton's DNA and codes, while seamlessly merging our legacy with its modernity and contemporary vision of time.”

A sports symbol reimagined

With the Louis Vuitton Unity Time Object, the House makes a daring design statement. The clock's openwork form is a masterclass in construction and design, where hexagons and pentagons are expertly interlinked, drawing from the soccer ball's original shape and patterns. Exuding lightness and transparency, the clock's iconic geometry and skeletonised inventiveness showcase contemporary design. It also reflects key codes of the House, from watchmaking expertise and its enduring passion for sport to its trunk-making craftsmanship.

Nodding to this trunk-making heritage, the time object's skeletonized hexagons and pentagons are notably fused together with golden brackets, studs and corners – the polished accents recalling the same protective elements found on Louis Vuitton trunks, and which here become essential for the clock's inherent structure.

On this unique piece, time comes to life through a sculpted golden steel dome forming the upper half of the clock. Hours and minutes are displayed by two rotating discs, whose fluid motion is enhanced by the open worked structure beneath. One rotating cylinder indicates the hours, while a second displays the minutes. Bringing a touch of play and refinement, a minute track is crafted with the Louis Vuitton Monogram motif and flowers, while the top of the cylinder is stamped with the elegant 'Louis Vuitton Paris' signature.

Time-telling is further illuminated by a ring of diamonds on hexagon and pentagon apertures for the hour and minute displays. Meticulously hand-set with 144 white diamonds for the hours and 120 black diamonds for the minutes, for 1.03 carats in total, the monochrome pairing of diamonds add a touch of preciousness and luminosity, while adding graphic and visual impact.

Echoes of precision

The structure was a key consideration for showcasing the captivating beauty of the clock's beating heart, which has been developed by Swiss mechanical movement maker L'Epée 1839. Light and airy structure offers a stunning complement to watchmaking expertise and the time object's painstaking and hand-finished details. There are also wonderful and subtle design surprises, like the screws and movement plate crafted with the Louis Vuitton Monogram flower. To wind the clock or set the time, a key is inserted either on the side or top of the timepiece.

Reflecting the House's enduring passion for sport, and more than 170 years of trunkmaking creativity and savoir-faire in the Art of Travel, the time object is presented in an exquisite trophy-style trunk crafted in the matching emblematic Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas. This extraordinary piece has been handcrafted by expert Louis Vuitton artisans in the House's historic workshop in Asnières, just outside Paris, where the House produces its most rare and special-order pieces. The exterior is finished with leather trim and the same brass corner protectors, lock and clasps that have been used on Louis Vuitton trunks since the 1860s.

Finally, to fully mark this momentous moment, Sotheby's will auction the time object in a dedicated 10-day international online auction, open for bidding from June 9th to 18th. The piece and its trunk are currently on an international roadshow, presented at exceptional events and stores around the world, including Paris, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, before culminating in an exclusive celebration dinner at Sotheby's HQ in New York, attended by celebrities, partners and medias. It will be a remarkable moment to kick of this historic auction, showcasing not only this truly collector's timepiece and celebrating a significant anniversary, but also an incredible one-of-a-kind objet d'art that is an outstanding expression of fine watchmaking fused with the House's unique heritage and enduring passion for sport.

As Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's Head of Modern Collectables, noted: “Watches and sport alike are driven by deeply engaged collector communities, and we are thrilled to bring these worlds together through this sale. It is all the more rewarding to collaborate on an initiative that will support UNICEF's vital work with children around the world.”

Starting June 9th, the Louis Vuitton Unity Time Object will be auctioned by Sotheby's alongside REBONDS books and Louis Vuitton soccer balls signed by celebrities.

It will also be on view at Sotheby's New York in a free, public exhibition open from June 11th to 18th.