Louis Vuitton - Cabinet d'Ecriture

If you have the opportunity to be in Paris before the end of 2013, do not miss a visit to the Louis Vuitton Cabinet d'Ecriture at Place St. Germain des Pres.

In December 2012, Louis Vuitton opened a unique store, Cabinet d'Ecriture, for one year time frame. The store is a celebration of the art of written correspondence. I had the fortune of visiting the store, based on the recommendation of Brigitte Courson, of an elegant pen store in Paris, Plume & Bille.

I visited with Xavier Banay Xavier helped me with my purchase of ink, and also showed me around the store. He spoke with such passion on the art of written correspondence.

To demonstrate the beauty of the inks, Xavier brought out some initial drawings done by an artist, using the Louis Vuitton inks. They were beautiful and the colour tones of the ink quite moving when coupled with the work of an artist.

But then again, it struck me, that is what written correspondence is all about, the art of the written communication. Sadly, an art form that is being lost some what to the colder work for email and text messaging.

The elegant store displaces stationery, ink bottles, pens covered in various leather skins, leather notebooks and writing stationery and fifteen colours of ink.

Le Cabinet d’Ecriture Louis Vuitton à Saint-Germain-des-Prés
6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris

Telephone: 01 45 49 62 32
Open Monday to Saturday, 10 - 7

Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the grandson of Louis Vuitton, was as passionate about reading and writing as his father and grandfather, and was an insatiable bibliophile and collector.

I found it a great experience to be in the Cabinet d'Ecriture. The restored furniture gives a great warm personal feeling. Cabinet showcases and I think are from the 1900s show some of the Vuitton writing collections. There is a 1800s writing desk with small leather goods, stationery collections and writing instruments.

For me, the large backbit ink bar that was built into a a jewelery unit from the early 20th century was a eye-catcher. It shows the ink colours created exclusively by Louis Vuitton.

Oh the decisions, I wanted almost all the colours. The ink bottles are beautiful. The square design (48 x 48 x 61 ml) glass bottles look so simple and elegant. A metal screw caps adds a great texture to the feel of holding and opening the bottle. The bottles hold 50 ml of ink, a size I consider standard.

At 35 euro a bottle the ink is expensive, and at the current exchange rate for the Canadian Dollar I trimmed back my initial selection of five colours to just two! Oh, that was a hard experience. Unfortunately the Canadian Dollar was trading a bit high and at $48 CDN a bottle this became a major purchase!

Xavier brought out the two bottles I selected, bleu rêver and brun ténébreux. The ink bottles are then placed in a beautiful Louis Vuitton small box.

I have just returned, and I will be including my review of the ink after I have had a chance to write with the inks.