To Louis or not to Louis Part Deux

2nd Update- Oui! To Louis (Vuitton) I go!!! Hello lovelies, I have been invited to the original Louis Vuitton House and Atelier in Asnieres (about 20 mins outside of Paris) for a grand tour of the facilities– (some bags are still being produced here!). This is where the very first trunk, with a flat poplar frame covered in waterproof canvas, was made by Louis Vuitton himself!!! I am most excited because despite what everyone had to say about the brand, Louis Vuitton’s rich history and influence on the global luxury market can not be disputed and it is an honor to receive such an invitation. I will, of course, have lots of photos and give you every detail of the tour. I will be in Paris for two weeks in June so– mark your calendars! (as a side note– I am also invited to the Hermes private museum so this is going to be an amazing trip to say the least!)I think one of the biggest debates here at Bag Snob is Louis Vuitton: to buy it, or not? There are the die hards who will never give up their collection of LV bags and who will buy whatever the brand serves up. The former fans (like myself) who will keep their set of vintage luggage from the ’70s and the LV bags collected throughout the years but will not invest any more time or money on the trendy bags of late. And then there are those who consider its recent collaborations with Marc Jacobs as the whoring out of the classic label and brand. Which one are you? Let me know because I am off to a Blogger Breakfast with Louis Vuitton’s CEO of North America. (Thanks to Lesley of Fashiontribes for the introduction!) I am very interested in what he has to say about the brand and how it will continue its exclusive appeal considering it’s mass global campaign. Stay tuned!UPDATE: Just got back from the breakfast. It was an eye opener to say the least. (Read more after the jump!)I am most impressed with Louis Vuitton’s CEO of North America, Daniel Lalonde and Senior Vice President of Marketing Heather Vandenberghe for taking initiative to reach out to the blogging community. I was impressed, but not surprised. Considering the staggering number of people fashion blogs reach globally, it is a very wise move on their part to begin the dialogue and mutual support with blogs.There were about 15 bloggers present and it was sort of a round table where we each took turns communicating our ideas. We covered so many things in that hour but I will try to recap it for you. First, don’t think LV is not listening to its consumers, both Daniel and Heather read every comment sent to the LV website through customer service (and both will probably read your comments so please keep it constructive).The LV team was most interested in what we had to say about reaching out to consumers via the blogs and want to actively participate in the process. LV sees this as an opportunity to provide us with behind the scenes information on the brand and giving you exclusive stories about the bags.We discussed fake bags and it is still a major concern for them, one that they address aggressively. While you may be tempted by eBay and other unauthorized outlets, the only safe bet to ensure the authenticity of your LV bag is to purchase at an LV boutique.Daniel also explained the recent marketing efforts to bring the brand back to the classic damier and monogram its been known for since 1854. They feel they have had much success with the ‘fashion’ branding through Marc Jacobs in the last ten years but are ready to go back to the basics via the core value campaign and recapturing their former fans.My LV collection consists of classic damier, monogram and Epi leather bags, and the only LV bag that has tempted me of late is the fabulous Mahina in silver. Of course there is also the well worn set of LV luggage given to me years ago, it is still one of the most beloved items in my collection. The three nested suitcases, hat box, and vanity case have treasured memories attached with them that will last beyond my lifetime.I have to admit I am thinking about the Mahina in xs… a lot. It is just the jolt of excitement my old LV collection needs.