TL;DR
- Louis Vuitton creating custom travel case for Summoner’s Cup at Worlds 2019
- Nicolas Ghesquière designing champion skins and capsule collection
- Partnership represents Riot’s growing appeal to luxury brands
- Announcement accidentally went live early on both company websites
- Follows previous non-endemic sponsorships with Mastercard, Honda, and Nike
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Riot Games has formed a strategic alliance with luxury fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton for the 2019 League of Legends World Championship. This marks one of the most significant cross-industry partnerships in esports history, bridging high fashion with competitive gaming.
The prestigious French fashion house, renowned globally for its craftsmanship and heritage, will engineer a bespoke protective case for the iconic Summoner’s Cup. This championship trophy represents the ultimate achievement in professional League of Legends, awarded annually to the world champion team.
“For the Championship Finals in Paris on November 10th, 2019, Louis Vuitton is developing, in partnership with Riot Games, an exclusive Trophy Travel Case to safeguard the Summoner’s Cup,” the luxury brand confirmed through an official statement, as reported by InvenGlobal. “This custom-designed trunk, unprecedented in esports competitions, will integrate Louis Vuitton’s traditional artisanal expertise with innovative technological components drawn from League of Legends’ digital universe.”
The collaboration extends beyond professional competitors, as Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director for women’s collections, will craft both a limited-edition apparel line and exclusive in-game cosmetic items for select champions. This dual approach demonstrates how the partnership benefits both the competitive scene and the broader player community.
Both organizations initially published formal statements on their official websites announcing the partnership, though these were subsequently removed. Dedicated fans promptly archived the announcements from both Louis Vuitton and Riot’s platforms.
The exact reason for the removal remains unspecified, though Louis Vuitton’s statement carried a September 23 publication date. The most plausible explanation suggests the announcements were accidentally published ahead of the intended schedule.
This alliance represents a fascinating development and serves as the latest evidence of Riot Games’ capacity to draw non-endemic sponsors to professional League of Legends. The developer generated significant attention previously by establishing Mastercard as a worldwide sponsor. League’s regional competitive circuits have similarly secured notable sponsorship agreements independently, including Honda’s designation as the official automotive partner for North America’s LCS and Nike creating official uniforms for teams competing in China’s LPL.
Naz Aletaha, Riot Games’ head of global esports partnerships, conveyed enthusiasm regarding the collaboration with the luxury fashion brand.
“This represents a landmark partnership that demonstrates the influence Riot Games and League of Legends have exerted throughout the competitive landscape across nine esports seasons,” Aletaha stated. “We’re delighted to welcome the Louis Vuitton brand into our competitive ecosystem and anticipate revealing the comprehensive partnership details in coming months.”
Action Checklist
- Monitor official Riot Games and Louis Vuitton channels for formal partnership announcements
- Follow esports news outlets for updates on collaboration developments
- Watch for champion skin releases tied to the Louis Vuitton collection
- Analyze other non-endemic sponsorships in esports for comparison
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Louis Vuitton producing LoL skins, case for Summoner’s Cup at Worlds Riot Games partners with Louis Vuitton for custom trophy case and champion skins at Worlds 2019