Louis Vuitton unveils flexible screens on prototype handbags
PHOTO: Louis Vuitton
PUBLISHED ONMay 13, 2019 8:49 PMByAlexis Ong
Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2020 collection unveiled a touch of cyberpunk: prototype handbags with flexible touchscreens.
The experimental venture is a joint project between LV and Royole, the Chinese manufacturer behind FlexPai — the world’s first foldable smartphone with an AMOLED display. Royole teased their own handbag at CES 2019, but the LV brand name brings a whole new level of luxe to the concept of cyborg accessories. The bags, which LV called the “canvas of the future”, received mixed responses from the media, with Gizmodo decrying the design as “embarrassing”.
LV’s Cruise 2020 showcase took place at New York’s JFK airport, specifically in the futuristic mid-century TWA Flight Center. LV x Royole had two purses to show: one with a single touchscreen display, and the other with two. Late last year, Royole showcased their flexible tech at Paris Fashion Week: a world first for high definition wearable displays. At the time, the pioneering tech manufacturer had a Flexible Shirt and Flexible Top Hat, produced on a made-to-order basis under their Flexible+ Wearables line.
Royole’s founder is Dr. Bill Liu, a Stanford-educated research scientist who cut his teeth at IBM. The Shenzen-based company is valued in the billions, thanks to enthusiastic VC backers. While the award-winning FlexPai was a huge step forward for wearables, it didn’t get the most winning reviews. Royole has been successful in B2B partnerships with consumer wearables and even a partnership with Chinese brand Li-Ning. Last year, it announced a partnership with Airbus to work on flexible displays and sensors in aircraft.
In terms of mainstream pop culture, perhaps Royole’s breakout moment will be in high-end fashion, as we probably won’t see this kind of technology in affordable brands anytime soon. No word on when the bags will actually hit LV shops, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled.
alexisong@asiaone.com