High altitudes and blistering storms are no match against sports icons Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The tennis champions are the new faces of Louis Vuitton’s Core Values campaign, setting aside their storied rivalry as they square off against a new opponent—trekking to the summit of the Italian Dolomites.
The campaign sees the duo traverse the snowy landscape, as chronicled by singular photographer Annie Leibovitz, embodying the tagline, “There are journeys that turn into legends.” Federer and Nadal's expedition is an apt metaphor for their shared ascent to the top of the tennis pantheon.
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Nadal and Federer pose with photographer Annie Leibovitz atop the Italian Dolomites
The endeavour marks 12 years since Louis Vuitton last launched Core Values. Previous iterations featured notable ‘legends’ from Catherine Deneuve and Angelina Jolie to Keith Richards and Buzz Aldrin. Each chapter in this campaign celebrates the Maison’s legacy of travel, camaraderie, and transmission. For Federer and Nadal, it celebrates the pair’s joint impact on the athletic community and their devoted following.
In an interview, which showed both men perched atop a Louis Vuitton trunk against the snowy backdrop, Federer and Nadal reveal their deep-rooted respect for one another. The two humbly trace the timelines of their journeys and communicate the importance of being open to the process. “Being out in the elements in a complicated situation is one we’ve had to endure for over 20 years,” Federer remarks, sporting a playful grin. “I sit here as a happy man.”
“I know how many important icons have been part of this campaign, so for me personally, being part of it is something that I am very proud of, especially sharing it with Roger [Federer]. He has been my biggest rival and now a close friend today. In my career, I achieved more than I ever dreamt of, so at the end of the day, the legacy in terms of human beings is the most important value,” explains Nadal.
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Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer express their mutual respect for one another
Leibovitz’s lens casts the two veteran athletes in an intrepid light, showcasing the pair braving the storms in their Louis Vuitton accoutrements. While Federer wields his classic Monogram Christopher backpack, Nadal dons the Monogram Eclipse. Both sportsmen capture the Maison’s ideals of style, sophistication, and an enduring curiosity for adventure.
“How we could be such rivals and then at the end of our careers be beside each other doing this campaign has been very cool. And where we are here, I think it also embodies everything: at the peak of the mountains. For us, it is something meaningful and special,” says Federer.
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