Blanchett sparkles at Louis Vuitton

There's not much that would stop Cate Blanchett from being the most interesting thing in a room, but at yesterday's Louis Vuitton Maison launch in Sydney a series of life-sized crocodiles, kangaroos and koalas made entirely out of LV bags nearly managed the feat.

The who's who of fashion media from around the Asia-Pacific congregated on the stunning three-storey heritage building on George Street to catch a glimpse of the film and stage star, who emerged at the end of a Q&A with the company's top executives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, posing for photographs wearing an exquisite white dress from the brand's spring-summer 2012 collection.

But of almost equal fascination were artist Billie Achilleos' leather-good animals, dotted around the vast, marble-floored former bank and attracting almost as many photographers as Blanchett, who is currently performing in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Gross Und Klein (Big And Small).
However, it was left to Louis Vuitton chairman Yves Carcelle, Oceania chief executive Philip Corne and Asia-Pacific president Jean-Baptiste Debains to field questions from the press, most of which focused on how the luxury goods market is faring in the current economic climate.

"The situation in Europe is not great, but we are finding there is still a demand for beautifully made products," Carcelle said.

"Our customers still want to buy a nice pair of shoes, a wonderful dress."

The Maison, only the 13th in the world and the first for the Asia-Pacific region, takes Louis Vuitton's luxury aesthetic to the next level, offering made-to-order shoe and belt services for men and personalised handbag services for women.
The Maison launch celebrations kicked on into the evening with an in-store cocktail party gathering a well-dressed mix of celebrities including Miranda Kerr, Lara Bingle, Delta Goodrem and Jess Gomes, all dressed in new-season Louis Vuitton.