When the Olympic torch arrived in Paris last month ahead of the games, it appeared on the Champs Elysées exactly as one sponsor, LVMH, had decreed: in its own, custom-made trunk, designed by Mathieu Lehanneur and made by Louis Vuitton in a signature checkerboard canvas.
Goyard and Hermès also made trunks, but these are less in demand, says Koffsky. The value of these vintage pieces is directly connected with size and condition — larger trunks, or special orders, will command a premium, as do trunks which retain original detailing such as leather handles or the ribbons on the lid’s interior which were more prone to damage. “It’s not significant if it isn’t lockable, but that’s a nice-to-have,” she says of misplaced keys.