A Louis Vuitton trunk, Porte habits Coiffeuse. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"Of all the materials used in the manufacturing of a trunk, wood is the most important. Before arriving in a luxury boutique, a trunk passes through a wood workshop," Saillard says.

"It is also a reminder of the forest landscapes of Louis Vuitton's native land, Anchay."

Passing the wood workshop, visitors will see most of Louis Vuitton's classic trunks from 1854 to the present day. Some boxes are filled with clothes and other items of daily use that suggest old memories. It's as if the owners of the trunks had just left the room, Saillard says.

The other sections reflect different kinds of travel experiences: An expedition through Algeria, Mali and Congo; sea travel by yacht; a road trip with cars carrying wardrobes, picnic baskets and so on; and riding in steam vessels and on trains and aircraft.

"Louis Vuitton is closely linked to the evolution of transport, whether steam engines or the automobile," says Saillard.

For the "train" section, the exhibition's artistic director and set designer, Robert Carsen, has created an actual wooden compartment, inspired by the Orient Express, with images moving past windows.

"An exhibition should be like a journey in which the visitors want not only to learn but also to be inspired, touched," says Carsen.