Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building at 70 avenue des Champs-Élysées, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, was built during the first quarter of the 20th century. Commanded by Georges Vuitton, heir and director of the luxury leather goods house founded by his father in 1854, this seven-storey building was built to house the brand's flagship store. Architects Louis Bigaux and Koller, responsible for the project, designed a late Art Nouveau-style stone façade, characteristic of the last years of this artistic movement. Inaugurated in May 1914 under the name of Vuitton Building, the building also hosted, in its upper floors, the workshop of the seamstress Jenny, emphasizing its anchor in the world of Parisian luxury.

The structure underwent a major transformation in 1996 during a real estate operation which retained only its historic façade and roof, protected since a decree of 23 November 1992. Today, the commercial ground floor, formerly dedicated to Vuitton travel items, houses a large area specialized in the sale of perfumes. This change in usage reflects the evolution of the Champs-Élysées, while preserving an architectural testimony of the golden age of Parisian luxury trade at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Vuitton Building illustrates the alliance between heritage and modernity, where the legacy of an industrial dynasty — the Vuittons — and the architectural audacity of late Art Nouveau cross. Its prestigious location, in the heart of the most emblematic avenue in Paris, makes it a symbol of the urban and commercial changes that have marked the capital since the beginning of the last century. The accuracy of its location is estimated as fair (note 5/10), based on available data, and its official address remains 70 Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

External links