If not for the muscly, hot and sweaty men we’ve been ogling over the past couple of weeks during the Rugby World Cup, what other reason would there be for us Fashionistas to watch this tangled sport?  Well, when you pair an institution of legends and a luxurious historic fashion brand such as Louis Vuitton together, it all makes sense!

For those who didn’t know, in September this year, Louis Vuitton and World Rugby collaborated to deliver a very special project for Rugby World Cup 2015, an event that promised to be a record-breaking global celebration of rugby and its character-building values.

To celebrate rugby’s greatest event, Louis Vuitton has designed a special case to carry the famous Webb Ellis Cup, rugby’s greatest prize. The Louis Vuitton case will make its debut at the Final at Twickenham on 31 October, marking the brand’s first association with Rugby.

World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The Webb Ellis Cup is the most coveted prize in rugby and one of the world’s most iconic trophies. It is a symbol of unity, enjoyment, participation and excellence and that is why it warrants a custom-made case to capture its prestige. We are excited about our collaboration with a fashion house as renowned as Louis Vuitton and delighted with the stunning, modern classic case."

“We are very proud to be supporting Rugby World Cup 2015 — all the more so because this partnership holds great meaning for us. In fact, the similarities between the history and values of Rugby and those of our Maison are such that this partnership could have been formed years ago. Ours is a house that places the utmost importance on proximity and human relationships. An atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration, and a genuine spirit of solidarity are the keys to our success. And then there are Louis Vuitton and William Webb Ellis: theirs are the stories of heroes, of commitment and excellence. Both men shared the same winning spirit. A century and a half later, for the 8th edition of Rugby World Cup, these two heroes have finally come together to let us experience an exceptional moment," explains Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

Handmade in Louis Vuitton's historic Asnières workshop near Paris, the Special Order has been meticulously designed to accommodate the celebrated Trophy, which is made of sterling silver and gold plate. Covered in Louis Vuitton's iconic Monogram canvas, the travel case is fitted with the company's signature brass lock and corners and the case opens from the front and at the top to allow the Trophy to be easily removed.

The Special Order for Rugby World Cup 2015 perpetuates Louis Vuitton's long tradition of creating elegant and ingenious cases for travellers to transport their most precious belongings. Over the course of 150 years, the Asnières workshop has produced an astonishing variety of custom-made designs, from the foldout trunk-bed that equipped the African explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza to a secretary trunk for 1,000 cigars to a portable tea service for the Maharajah of Baroda. The workshop also crafted the trunk that holds the world's oldest sporting trophy, the famous silver ewer of the America's Cup, which dates back to 1851. More recently, Louis Vuitton specially designed the trophy case for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Trophy.

About Louis Vuitton

Since 1854 Louis Vuitton has brought unique designs to the world, combining innovation with style, always aiming for the finest quality. Today, the Maison remains faithful to the spirit of its founder Louis Vuitton, who invented a genuine “Art of travel” through luggage, bags and accessories which were as creative as they were elegant and practical. Since then, audacity has shaped the story of Louis Vuitton. Faithful to its heritage, Louis Vuitton has opened its doors to architects, artists and designers across the years, all the while developing disciplines such as ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches, jewelry and stationery. These carefully created products are testament to Louis Vuitton’s commitment to fine craftsmanship.

For more information: www.louisvuitton.com

About Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup is the financial engine behind unprecedented investment and growth in rugby worldwide. The net Rugby World Cup surplus from the commercial success of France 2007 and New Zealand 2011 has enabled World Rugby to invest more than £150 million in the game between 2009 and 2012 and commit an anticipated injection of more than £180 million between 2013 and 2016 to underwrite a large range of major funding initiatives including annual national union grants and strategic investments focusing on growing participation and increasing competition across all 120 national member unions affiliated to World Rugby.