Overview
It's not just the players that are going to be fashion-forward in the NBA this year. Louis Vuitton — already responsible for the craftsmanship behind luxury trophy cases for the FIFA World Cup, esports' League of Legends Summoner's Cup, and other global events — has christened its newly announced multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) by creating a unique travel case for the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy is presented annually to the NBA team that wins The Finals and its new case — the first of its kind for Louis Vuitton in its North American sports league collaboration debut — took six craftsmen over 100 hours to complete in the fashion giant's historic workshop located in Asnières, France. Blending the classic LV monogram with NBA hallmarks, the leather case features a large white V for victory, as well as a red and blue trim on the front representing the NBA. The interior is also lined in a blue micro-fiber featuring the NBA logo. Louis Vuitton has plans to create original storytelling content to accompany the trophy and its new case.
"We obviously, in our global travels, see these kinds of things, and we’re always looking to partner with these world renown companies to create programs that help us connect with our fans and grow the game," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told USA TODAY. "We said what a great opportunity to have them do what they’ve been doing internationally for the Larry O’Brien Trophy."
Barack Ferrazzano advised Louis Vuitton on its first and sole North American sporting league endeavor with a team led by Fashion, Luxury & Retail Chair Daniel L. Dominguez, along with attorneys Kaitlyn E. Kelly and Brandon P. Knop. Intellectual Property Group Co-Chair Scott J. Slavick analyzed and provided counsel on the various and nuanced intellectual property issues involved in this collaboration.
To learn more about this partnership, visit the following links:
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2020/01/22/nba-partners-with-louis-vuitton-for-championship-larry-o-brien-trophy-case/4539081002/
- https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/louis-vuitton-nba-multiyear-partnership-1203447110/
- https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-01-22/louis-vuitton-nba-official-trophy-travel-case
- https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nbas-larry-obrien-championship-trophy-is-getting-a-louis-vuitton-custom-travel-case/