Louis Vuitton has been busy of late. An ambassador announcement, a recent AW24 Menswear showcase and now, an LV-launched chocolate shop on our shores. It seems odd that the brand known for their steamer trunks would dip their toes (or fingers) into chocolate. But having taste the results, it'd seem that the Maison has another winner on its hands.
The opening of Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton at Marina Bay Sands, marks the debut of the confectionary store beyond its French borders. Created and produced by Maxime Frédéric, the celebrated Chef Pâtissier of the Cheval Blanc Paris, the chocolates are made with premium ingredients in the heart of Paris.
Hailing from Normandy, Chef Frédéric draws from the wisdom of les secrets de nos vergers (the secrets of the orchards). From his farm's chicken breeds to the special hazelnut variety he cultivates, each ingredient is chosen for its distinct flavour. When not sourced directly from his farm, he opts for top-tier supplies, like milk from his friends operating a dairy farm in Normandy. Chocolates are also sourced from small-scale cocoa farmers in Vietnam, Peru, Madagascar, Dominican Republic and São Tome.
Chef Frédéric met with the artisans behind the emblematic LV trunks at the historic home of Louis Vuitton in Asnières. Seeing how the brand upholds craftsmanship, Chef Frédéric said that he saw "a lot of similarities between his work in patisseries and the work of the LV artisans". "Whether it’s a woodworker or a locksmith for the trunks. It’s about handcrafted workmanship," Chef Frédéric says, "and that’s completely in line with our work as artisan pastry chefs, bakers and chocolatiers.”
With prices starting at SGD30, these exquisite chocolates offer an unexpectedly accessible taste of luxury. Like the Damier-shaped Chocolate Tablets, Monogram Flower... even the Chocolate Bar, each piece is inspired by Louis Vuitton's iconic motifs. They bring across a sense of child-like wonderment and are as delightful as they are indulgent.
His centrepiece creations—Vivienne on Malle and the Petula—showcase his ingenuity and mastery in chocolate craftsmanship. Inspired by the Vivienne music box, the Vivienne on Malle (SGD420) is confection wonder. Made of intricate chocolate gear mechanisms thanks to Chef Frédéric's construction, a twist of the chocolate key, Vivienne pirouettes.
The Petula (SGD230), another iconic mascot from Louis Vuitton, also brings an enchanting surprise for clients. Designed like a piñata, each Petula chocolate figure is generously filled with coated hazelnuts. Whack one open and watch the contents spill out.
Guess what—there will never be an end to consumerism. Educate people on the landfills running out of space, the toxic emissions released into the environment, and how only a fraction of what is recycled actually gets recycled; but buyers gonna buy.
You’d think a two-year long pandemic on such a scale would be enough to make folks reconsider the things that are truly of value. If anything, it seemed a momentary blip before the world resumed normalcy, and its citizens returned armed with pent-up consumerism they call Revenge Shopping. Take a look at the statistics and you’ll see that the dip in the pattern has since been on a steady increase.
We’ve generated 1.86 million tonnes of domestic waste in 2022 (out of a total of 7.39 tonnes of solid waste). It’s up from 1.82 million tonnes the year before, and it would be no surprise if numbers are projected to rise. To make matters worse, foreign countries are now implementing import bans of recyclables. Want to take a stab at the total recycling rate of discarded textiles? The lowest of all collected materials at a meagre 2 percent.
Think about the last time you made a purchase you thought would change your life. Now contrast that with how you feel about it now. Even if it still stands as a wise deal, the visceral level of excitement can never match up. So back to the (case in) point. Consumerism will never end because people will never figure out how to satisfy the empty void in their hearts which is further exploited by an advertising culture on steroids to fuel a never-ending pursuit for economic growth. Hurrah.
While there is no hard and fast solution, our proposition is this. Rather than be deluded that recycling will salvage your poor decisions, make better ones.
Of course, we can’t afford to constantly live a fully sustainable lifestyle which isn’t tuned into modern society. We can, however, spend a little more effort to source for items that were perhaps bought by others in the spur of the moment. Or an item carted out online which arrived untrue to the buyer’s size, never worn. If the piece has been lightly used, is there a practical reason why it can’t be utilised again? Or simply an ingrained stigma propagating that pre-owned equates to inferior?
Instead of gratifying the illogical desire for the new and shiny, or conforming to the gifting practice of senseless knick-knacks under a budget; consider giving a deeper meaning to the season. Not just giving loved ones a token of appreciation, but the gift itself a second lease of life.
Cloop, Exit, Flame Vintage, Function Five Thrift Shop, NearestTen, Nonmainstream, Thryft
