Travel Book Milan

French artist Jeanne Detallante travelled to Milan and composed a love letter to the city's historical grandeur and dynamic spirit with felt pen, charcoal and pencil.

Herself not bound to one field, the artist has walked the runway and lent her talents to graphic novels and high-profile publications. Her ease across these cultural moments gives her a unique perspective in seeking out the unexpected and not taking first impressions at face value. She made the journey to Milan five times, exploring solo or with her sister and friends, where she was able to penetrate the city's picture-postcard image. 'Milan reads like an overlaying of grids looking out on courtyards or doors,' says the artist. 'There is a constant reframing that adds to the mystery; we always want to know what’s being concealed.' Mesmerised by the city's revelations, she captures what lays behind the closed doors (both real and imagined) of this vibrant hub of fashion, design, finance and art. The destination's revered architecture and its poised inhabitants appear in compositions that leave no detail unexplored.

Since the Travel Book Collection was created in 2010, it has invited artists from across the globe to explore places they have never experienced: a world centre, a countryside, a wilderness. By entering unknown territory, they discover a new culture, different architecture, varied ways of life. The Travel Book Collection is a mirror of contemporary creation, reflecting the depth, breadth and diversity of the planet’s many aesthetic and artistic worlds. Each artist is free to choose their expressive technique: drawing, painting, collage, illustration, manga, scratch card. Their favourite material: pastel, oil, watercolour, ink, pencil, pixels.

Joining the Louis Vuitton Travel Book Collection is a new edition celebrating Milan. After visiting five times, French artist Jeanne Detallante was mesmerised by the city's subtleties and grandeur, often found in the most unexpected of places. Her dense illustrations, rendered in a colourful mix of felt pen, charcoal and pencil, leave no detail unexplored. This makes a beautiful present for travellers and collectors.