The Art of Packing

with Louis Vuitton

I travel a lot, almost every month. So you would think packing is easy for me. To be honest, that’s what I thought too until my friends at Louis Vuitton pointed out my packing wasn’t all that great. They decided to give me some lessons and I learned that by being nicer to my clothes I could pack more!

A brief history: Louis Vuitton was the personal travel assistant of Napoleon’s wife. He accompanied her on her travels and his main task was to pack her ball gowns, shoes, purses and hairpieces. He designed special trunks that took care of her clothes on her many journeys. You could call it luggage couture. One thing lead to another and Louis Vuitton ended up becoming the most exclusive brand in the world for trunks, suitcases, leatherwear, bags and fashion. But ‘the art of packing’ remains his first love.

A team of specialists was railed in from Paris bringing a treasure chest filled with their most beautiful items to personally teach Amayzine (that would be me) the best way to pack a suitcase. The image of a small suitcase has disturbed my sleep lately. Something to do with want, need and shall have.

Lay everything out

Don’t just put stacks of clothing into your suitcase. Lay out on your bed what you want to bring with you. You can make combinations and oversee what goes together. I packed this suitcase for a weekend in Cannes. Denim shorts are a perfect base. You can wear it with a bathing suit and that wonderful degrade monogramed scarf. Or with a top for the evening paired with some boulevard-proof sandals. In went a good suntan lotion, a book and a few souvenirs that remind me of home.

Roll ‘m up

If your clothes aren’t too fragile roll them up after folding them. This will keep your clothes wrinkle-free.

Start in the center

Your suitcase has a slot in the middle, a good spot for the monogramed scarf. Place flat shoes at the sides and then start filling your case with rolls of clothing.

Stack your shirts

You can’t roll up shirts or blouses so you have to zip them together. Lay the bottoms of two shirts on top of one another then you fold in the top of one and then the other. Get that? This way you prevent your stack from sliding sideways.

Toiletry bag upside-down

Place your toiletry bag, containing a lot of travel size mini’s, upside down in the side of your suitcase. It will take up the least amount of space this way.

Fold out your belts

A rolled up belt takes up a lot of space. It’s best to drape it along the sides of your suitcase so it will take up no space at all.

Secret corners

There are unexpected packing spaces in the corners of your suitcase. Fill them will small items, for example: a rolled up bathing suit.

Fill your shoes

Your shoes are empty packing pockets. Underwear or socks can be stowed in here. And the plus side is your shoes hold their shape and aren’t flattened.

Shoes go 69

Place the heel of one shoe against the toe of the other. A very effective way of using your available packing space.

Bon voyage!

Photo credit: Hansdevriesphotography.com