THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR: In Louis Vuitton’s 2026 holiday campaign, the journey is the destination.
The French luxury brand celebrates “the magic of reunions and the excitement of departure” in a campaign lensed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch that will break on Thursday on its website and social platforms.
Set in a snowy train station to Joe Jackson’s catchy ‘80s hit “Stepping Out,” the accompanying film is directed by Rubberband, the duo composed of Jason Filmore Sondock and Simon Davis. It captures the anticipation of holiday journeys through chance encounters, playful moments and the countdown to departure, in line with Vuitton’s signature Art of Travel tagline.
The campaign echoes the theme of Nicolas Ghesquière’s fall 2025 womenswear collection, for which he polled members of his design team for their favorite films involving trains — among them “Brief Encounter,” “2046,” “Snowpiercer” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
A model wears the Carré LV En Fleurs silk scarf.
Oliver Hadlee Pearch/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
And it underscored synergies with parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s travel ventures, namely through its strategic partnership with French hotelier Accor to accelerate the development of the Orient Express brand through trains, hotels and sailing ships.
The railway theme carried over into Vuitton’s holiday windows, which feature five worlds: the Alpine Horizon, the Big Apple, the Blossom Garden, the Moonlight Valley and the Golden Dunes. Miniature trains travel from one landscape to the next, while Christmas trees in most Vuitton stores will feature train garlands winding around their branches.
The campaign launch will be followed by the opening on Saturday of an immersive pop-up at Vuitton’s store in the Shibuya district of Tokyo featuring a series of miniature worlds, in addition to a room where products are presented in a setting inspired by a wooden trunk.
Alongside the leather goods, luggage, accessories, sneakers and jewelry featured in the ads, Vuitton is rolling out a holiday beauty collection inspired by its Monogram Rouge lipstick shade.
The capsule Louis Vuitton La Beauté line will feature five products in burgundy lacquered cases embellished with hand-painted Monogram flowers, including a new matte version of the lip color. This will be accompanied by a line of canvas accessories in a similar red hue.
A Louis Vuitton vanity bag in burgundy with special edition LV Monogram Rouge lipsticks and LV Ombres palette.
Maxime Poiblanc/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton