Louis Vuitton realised that in Beirut, a city known for its love of life, no normal gathering was going to cut the mustard, and if they were to stand out, they were going to have to do things a little differently. So, where some stores had special appearances guests such as Ronan Keating, LV had Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Eschewing the store, they hired La Bulle, the iconic bombed out cinema in the heart of downtown Beirut. Earmarked for destruction, LV had the patience to negotiate for the alleged two years it took to secure the venue for just a single night.
The pockmarked walls were lined not with heavy black drapes, but with gleaming custom made gold panels, creating a staircase to lead guests to the party upstairs. Each step up this shiny, disorientating, extravagant walkway proclaimed that this was a secret space, removed from the outside world, a place where normal rules did not apply.
As expected, LV’s ceo Yves Carcelle was present, so too was Catherine Deneuve sweeping through the room, making grown men weep, while Yasmin Hamdan sung for the crowd, and Haifa Webhe and Elissa mingled, looking fabulous. The crowd was free to pose for the camera with armfuls of antique cases flown in from LV’s Paris museum, and in case energy levels flagged, huge tables were decorated with vintage vases filed to the brim with Haribo sweets. Wired on a potent mix of sugar and excellent champagne, people went wild.
Inside, a cinema screen displayed contemporary photos of Beirut’s heyday, merging old with new above the dancing crowd, the message was hammered home: Beirut was back, reclaiming its rightful place on the world stage, with LV standing firmly by its side.
Even the obligatory gifts were well thought out. Men received a cardholder, and women were given a wrist bracelet, all embossed with the date of the party. So even if guests couldn’t remember getting home, they would never forget they were there.
WHAT Louis Vuitton’s Lebanese launch party
WHEN July of 2010
WHERE La Bulle, Beirut Central District, Lebanon
WHY Simply spectacular, the party was a heady mix of LV’s signature glamour juxtaposed with the war-scarred setting.
www.louisvuitton.com
