PARIS, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Last night, Louis Vuitton returned to the Champs-Elysees in grand style, marking the reopening of its historic house on the most famous avenue in the world with a glittering celebration for more than 1,000 guests. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-c http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-d ) The evening began with an exclusive cocktail reception in the new Champs-Elysees house, which was officially inaugurated at 6:30 pm by Bernard Arnault, President of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and Yves Carcelle, President of Louis Vuitton Malletier. The Champs-Elysees house, jointly designed by architects Eric Carlson and Peter Marino, represents a groundbreaking architectural achievement, conceived as a promenade of terraces in homage to the historical and cultural importance of the Champs-Elysees as the world's most stylish promenade. Equally unprecedented is the integration of art and architecture, with works by three leading contemporary artists displayed as landmarks of the house promenade. Exclusively for the Champs-Elysees, the American artist James Turrell created an impressive "Wide Glass" modular light sculpture, while fellow American Tim White-Sobieski contributed a cutting-edge video installation alongside the house's spectacular 20-meter long "traveling staircase." Meanwhile, the Danish conceptual artist Olafur Eliasson transformed an elevator linking up directly with the top floor of the Champs- Elysees building, which will open in January 2006 as a permanent space of artistic and cultural expression, into a "chamber of sensual entropy" isolated from its surroundings. Joining the architects and artists at the cocktail reception were a host of international celebrities, including Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone, Winona Ryder, Salma Hayek, Catherine Deneuve, Bob Geldof, Takashi Murakami, Yun-Fat Chow, Tomoaki Nagao (Nigo), Diane Kruger, Ludivine Sagnier, Emmanuelle Seigner, Rossy de Palma, Ryoko Yonekura, Guillaume Canet, Eva Green, Gillian Anderson, Samantha Morton, Jade Jagger, Nadja Auermann and Eva Herzigova. Guests then moved on to a party at the Petit Palais, one of Paris' most flamboyant landmarks, newly reopened after renovation and taken over for the occasion by Louis Vuitton. One of its galleries was devoted to an exhibit of Louis Vuitton trunks dating from 1900, the year of the World Exhibition for which the Petit Palais was constructed, alongside a video by Tim White- Sobieski featuring outtakes of his artwork for the Champs-Elysees house. Other highlights included, in a separate room, a live performance by the artist Vanessa Beecroft, and exclusive routines by Dita Von Teese and Pharell Williams. Guests danced the night away to music provided by star DJs Mark Ronson, Asia Argento, Jonathan Wooster and Richard Battye. About Louis Vuitton The world leader in luxury, Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the art of stylish travel since 1854. Since 1997, with the arrival of the designer Marc Jacobs, it has extended its expertise to women's and men's ready-to-wear, shoes, watches and jewelry, combining traditional craftsmanship with flair and innovation to create a complete lifestyle experience. Since 1987, it has been part of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest and most prestigious luxury goods group, founded by Bernard Arnault. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-c http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051009/NYSU027-d http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Louis Vuitton CONTACT: Nathalie Tollu, Director of Corporate Communications, Louis Vuitton, +33-1-5580-3442, Fax - +33-1-5580-3550, Web site: http://www.vuitton.com/

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