Louis Vuitton, the 165-year-old French fashion house that makes ugly handbags that cost more than my car, has joined with Riot Games to create an "unprecedented, one-of-a-kind" travel case for the Summoner's Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the League of Legends World Championship. Riot said in the announcement that the trunk "will feature both traditional Louis Vuitton savoir-faire along with cutting-edge, high-tech elements inspired by the League of Legends universe."
Luxury fashion and esports might seem like an oddball pairing, but this very specific aspect of it—a travel case for the Summoner's Cup, both literally and metaphorically one of the biggest trophies in esports—is actually something the brand is known for, having previously created unique travel cases for the FIFA World Cup, the America's Cup, and the Rugby World Cup.
"We are honored to have Louis Vuitton as an official partner with designs to impact the look, feel, and prestige of our most prominent League of Legends event," Riot's head of global esports partnerships Naz Aletaha said. "This is a historic partnership that speaks to the impact Riot Games and League of Legends has had on the industry over the past nine esports seasons."
The relationship between Riot Games and Louis Vuitton will extend beyond just the trophy case: Riot said that "digital assets" including unique champion skins and a capsule collection designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of Women’s collections will be announced soon.
"The League of Legends World Championship is not only the climax of the tournament: it’s where the world of sports and entertainment come together in celebration of new legends to be born," Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Michael Burke said. "Louis Vuitton has long been associated with the world’s most coveted trophies, and here we are today, alongside the Summoner’s Cup. We are thrilled to be part of such an iconic event."
The play-in stage of the League of Legends World Championships begins on October 2, while the finals will take place on November 10. While we wait for that, and a full and proper look at the Summoner's Cup trophy travel case, you can lay your eyes on Louis Vuitton's trunk for the 2018 FIFA World Cup case down below.
