Louis Vuitton

In 1854 a humble Frenchman named Louis Vuitton (1821-1892) founded his own luggage-making company in Paris, specializing in trunks. Due to Vuitton's eye for detail, exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs, his luggage became a favorite among European aristocrats. More than 150 years later, the company remains a leading producer of luxury leather goods and ready-to-wear fashions and accessories. Louis Vuitton handbags, with the famed beige-on-chestnut LV monogram, remain a staple among the status-conscious crowd the world over.

Start as Luggage Packer

The son of a poor carpenter, Vuitton was born in 1821 in Anchay, France. At the age of 14, Vuitton, unable to find employment in the provinces, left home and walked more than 275 miles to Paris. Along the way, he picked up odd jobs to finance the trip, working as a stable hand and as a kitchen helper. By 1837 Vuitton had settled in Paris, becoming an apprentice to a Parisian trunkmaker named Maréchal.

Besides building trunks, Vuitton worked as a layetier, or luggage packer. During this time, when the wealthy traveled on extensive trips, it was common for them to hire an expert to pack their suits and dresses so they would not wrinkle. Vuitton became a well-respected layetier among Paris's upper echelons. By 1853, Vuitton was the personal packer for Empress Eugénie, wife of French Emperor Napoleon III. Besides packing clothes for the empress, Vuitton also created personal luggage for her.

Invented the Modern, Flat-Topped Trunk

Vuitton liked creating custom luggage, and in 1854 he opened his own workshop in downtown Paris. It did not take long for Vuitton to establish himself as an innovative designer of sturdily built luggage. As stagecoach travel gave way to railways and ocean liners, Vuitton modernized the trunk. In the days of stagecoach travel, trunks were toted on top of the coaches and made with domed lids so the water would slide off during rainstorms. To endure the rugged ride and elements, they were made with iron frames and covered with hog skin.

With the advent of railway and ocean liner travel, luggage needs changed and Vuitton was the first to respond. The luggage needed to be durable, yet space-saving, since most travelers would keep it with them. Vuitton hit upon the idea of making flat-topped, stackable trunks, allowing travelers to take more luggage with them. Vuitton built his flatlidded trunks using a wood frame, which he covered with a canvas he called “Trianon Grey.” The trunks were durable, reinforced with strips of wood and brass rivets. They were also waterproof, which impressed clients who were traveling by ocean liner.

An astute businessman, Vuitton coaxed a steamship builder into giving him the designs for the cargo holds. Vuitton then built trunks to fit. He also made sure his trunks would fit under the beds of ocean liner cabins to give travelers more space. For select travelers, he created trunks with interior drawers and hanging space. With an extensive base of clients from his luggage-packing days, Vuitton had a ready market for his new, innovative trunks.

By 1859 sales were steady, and Vuitton decided to move his workshop out of the city and into the countryside north of Paris, near the Seine River. Being close to the river allowed wood for the trunks to be delivered with ease—by water. The Louis Vuitton workshop remains at this site today. In time, Vuitton relocated his family to the area, building an eye-catching mansion with stained-glass windows next to the factory in Asnières-sur-Seine. His family moved into the home in 1878.

Gained Worldwide Fame for Custom Creations

Vuitton first gained international notoriety for his designs in 1869, when the Empress Eugénie took some Vuitton luggage to Egypt for the inauguration of the Suez Canal, which opened a direct water route between Europe and Asia. The pasha—or leader—of Egypt liked the handcrafted luggage and ordered some for himself.

In time, Vuitton discovered a niche in creating custommade trunks for specialized purposes. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza ordered a specialized “trunkbed” for an 1876 trip to the Congo during which he hoped to discover opportunities for commerce. When the trunk— covered with zinc and lined with lead to make it waterproof—opened, out popped a cot on legs, complete with a horse-hair mattress.

Vuitton's luggage became so popular that other trunkmakers began copying the Vuitton styles and designs. To combat counterfeiting, in 1876 Vuitton replaced the “Trianon Grey” canvas with a more distinguishing beige and brownstriped design. In time, that pattern was copied, too, so in 1888 Vuitton unveiled a new checkerboard canvas with the words “Marque deposée Louis Vuitton” appearing in the material.

As the Louis Vuitton name became more popular, the company extended its reach with more stores. Its first London store opened in 1885. By 1898 the company had opened an outlet inside a John Wanamaker department store, making it one of the first European companies to hit the United States.

Continued Innovative Designs

Vuitton's son, Georges, proved instrumental in helping the company stay ahead of the competition. In 1890 he invented a special lock with five pick-proof tumblers. When Vuitton died in 1892, Georges took over and in 1896 created the now-famous monogram canvas in an effort to combat counterfeiting. Georges Vuitton took his father's initials and incorporated them in a design with abstract geometric flowers to create what remains today one of the most distinctive—and prestigious—luggage patterns ever invented. It is also one of the most copied.

After Vuitton's death, the company continued to prosper by following its founder's vision of offering custommade, distinct trunks to fit the demands of the day. Vuitton's descendants created another hallmark design in 1926 when they made a special tea trunk for a maharaja of India for use on tiger-hunting expeditions. This moderate-sized leather trunk contained specialized inner compartments to store tea boxes and cakes, a silver tea pot, china tea cups and a silver water jug. A work of art, the case was featured in Vogue.

Over the next few decades, Vuitton snapped up a client base that included 1920s American silent movie star Douglas Fairbanks; Japanese Emperor Hirohito, who reigned during World War II; legendary French fashion designer Coco Chanel; and aviator Charles Lindbergh. In the 1960s, the popular English supermodel Twiggy posed with the round-bodied, monogrammed “Papillon” handbag, sending sales surging.

Company Enjoyed Global Success

Although 150 years have passed since Vuitton opened his shop, the company has remained true to its roots. As of 2007, Patrick-Louis Vuitton, a fifth-generation Vuitton, continued to supervise production of special order pieces. Patrick-Louis Vuitton oversees a department of 185 craftsmiths who churn out about 450 unique special order pieces a year. Many things are still done the way Louis Vuitton did them in the 1850s. Specialized pieces are constructed by one crafter from start to finish. The leather handles are stitched by hand and the brass studs are also nailed by hand.

Special requests to meet the demands of twenty-first century travelers keep the workshop busy. One of the company's more recent custom designs was made for a client who wanted a traveling entertainment center—with solar panels—so the client could play DVDs anytime, anywhere. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar writer Jamie Huckbody, Jade Hantouche, head of the Louis Vuitton special orders department, described how the designs must adhere to the founder's original vision. “Today, people know exactly what they want and how it should look,” Hantouche said. “But at the same time we have to make sure that the piece is Louis Vuitton. Our rule is that if it is not for travelling then it is not a Louis Vuitton product. Another rule is that if two men cannot carry it then it is also not appropriate.”

In 1987 Louis Vuitton merged with Moët-Hennessy, a French maker of fine wines, spirits and perfume, to create a new luxury goods conglomerate called LVMH MoëtHennessy Louis Vuitton. In 2004, as Louis Vuitton celebrated 150 years, it opened its 318th boutique, this one on New York's famed Fifth Avenue, bringing the number of U.S. outlets to 85. From Argentina to China to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, Louis Vuitton stores dot the globe. In 2007, LVMH reported a net income of $2.9 billion, buoyed by sales of goods bearing the Vuitton label. It all happened because Louis Vuitton decided to build a better trunk.

Books

Byars, Mel, The Design Encyclopedia, Laurence King Publishing, 2004.

Contemporary Fashion, edited by Richard Martin, St. James Press, 2002.

Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, edited by Valerie Steele, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005.

Periodicals

New York Times, December 17, 1989.

Time, February 16, 2004.

Wall Street Journal, June 4, 1987.

Online

“Louis Vuitton, A Hundred and Fifty Years of Passion,” French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/article-imprim.php3?id_article=4471 (January 7, 2008).

“100 Years of Louis Vuitton,” Cigar Aficionado, http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,619,00.html (January 7, 2008).

“Trunk Show,” Harper's Bazaar, http://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/Fame/2007-11-13_Fame_Interviews_Trunk+show.htm (January 7, 2008).

“The World of Louis Vuitton: Timeline,” Louis Vuitton, http://www.louisvuitton.com/web/flash/index.jsp;jsessionid=ZXEYN40K2HYHGCRBXUXFAHYKEG4RAUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US (January 7, 2008).