The brand Louis Vuitton, shortened to LV, was founded in Paris in 1854 by (you guessed correctly) Louis Vuitton. Prior to being known for the beautiful leather goods, Louis Vuitton was actually a trunk-maker for Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. He learnt making trunks from Monsieur Marechal after he left his home at the age of 13, following his father's death. The reason he left his home in Anchay was his rocky relationship with his stepmother. Kind of sounds like the Cinderella story, right? Anyway, in a short amount of time Louis Vuitton mastered the art of trunk making and gained popularity amongst the fashionable people in Paris.
The Louis Vuitton (Monogram) Canvas
At the age of 33, Louis Vuitton opened his own trunk making and packing workshop in Paris. This was back in 1854 and the start of the brand Louis Vuitton. The design of the trunks changed every now and then, the reason for this was that Louis Vuitton got constantly imitated by others. The first "canvas" created by Louis Vuitton was called the "Trianon Canvas". When it got copied by others, Louis Vuitton changed this canvas to a beige and brown stripes design in 1876. Then, in 1885 just after Louis Vuitton opened its first stores in London, the continued imitation made Louis Vuitton change its pattern again. That's when the Damier Canvas pattern, that you might know and Louis Vuitton still uses, was born. The Damier Canvas comes in Ebene and Azur. The most famous pattern of Louis Vuitton, Monogram Canvas, was created in 1893 by the son of Louis Vuitton, Georges Vuitton.
Louis Vuitton Paris and Marc Jacobs
By 1913, Louis Vuitton opened the largest travel-goods store in the world at that time on the Champs-Élysées, Paris. In 1997, Marc Jacobs — now known for his own brand — was the Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton. He designed and introduced Louis Vuitton's first "prêt-à-porter" line of clothing for men and women. Prêt-à-porter is in the fashion world also known as "ready-to-wear" clothing, and actually means that the clothing doesn't have to be altered and is made in standard sizes that fit most people. In this year the Louis Vuitton Vernis collection, which we absolutely love, was also introduced.
The history of Louis Vuitton is a special one, as it's one of the oldest fashion brands we still know today. Here you can shop our vintage Louis Vuitton items. Check our Instagram out for the latest products and the fastest replies to your questions.
