Louis Vuitton's Historical Highlights

Louis Vuitton has taken the fashion world by storm with its eccentric designs, daring collaborations and forward way of thinking. They have been leaders in the fashion industry since they came to being in 1854 and have managed to remain true to their heritage and values ever since. 

Louis Vuitton originally started as trunk makers, specialising in travel goods but soon enough expanded their product offerings. 

This timeline thoroughly explains the series of events that took place over the years, and significant moments created by the fashion house. 

• In 1854, Louis Vuitton was founded in Paris, and kicked off their luggage making business. 

• In 1892, Louis Vuitton passed away leaving the legacy behind to his son George, who wanted to grow the company and make it available worldwide. 

• In 1896, George created the iconic monogram canvas print featuring the LV logo and flower symbols that was inspired by Japanese and oriental designs from the Victorian Era. The reason for the Monogram design was so that George could distinguish the real Louis Vuitton trunks from the fake ones that had begun to be produced. 

Monogram Canvas

• In 1925, the Alma bag was introduced. It was designed specifically for Coco Chanel as a custom order. Coco Chanel later gave permission for the bag to be released to the public in 1934. 

Alma Amarante

• Further leathers were introduced to meet demands. In 1985, Epi leather was introduced which was inspired by a grained type of leather that Louis Vuitton previously used in the 1920's. Epi leather has a harder texture and is more durable and resistant to water and scratches which was highly demanded especially for trunks and other travel goods. 

Epi Leather 

• Furthermore, in 1998 Vernis leather was introduced by Marc Jacobs, who was appointed as Louis Vuitton's artistic director at the time. Vernis means Varnish in English, which explains the shininess and sparkle of the leather.
• Louis Vuitton was known for collaborating with iconic artists and designers. In 2003, Louis Vuitton collaborated with the renown Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami. Takashi Murakami was famous for his colourful, cheerful work. He created the Monogram Multicolour line using 33 different colours which has remained a hot commodity to date. 

Murakami Monogram Multicolour Canvas

I think it's safe to say that Louis Vuitton have been ahead of the game and remain visionaries with their exciting collaborations and exclusive collections. They continue to appoint artistic and creative directors who reflect the brands heritage but also adapt to current trends and fashion movements.

Browse through our gorgeous selection of Louis Vuitton bags and accessories by clicking here