19 Curiosities about Louis Vuitton, the man who left the countryside of France and conquered the world of fashion

Louis Vuitton was considered the ninth most valuable brand in the world 2020, according to the Forbes magazine list. The brand is worth 47.2 billion dollars. But it is unlikely that Louis Vuitton himself, at the age of 10, when he was his stepfather’s assistant at work, could have imagined that he would create an empire with a worldwide reputation. And that, 166 years after its creation, the company would become one of the largest producers of luxury items in the world.

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Louis Vuitton was born in 1821 in a small village in eastern France. His father was a farmer and his mother worked in a mill. Parents died early, and the boy was raised by a foster family. Since he was a child he helped his adoptive father, who was a carpenter. Thanks to this, Louis learned to work with different tools. When he was 13 years old, he decided to leave home because of his adoptive mother’s difficult temper. The future designer went to Paris. But the journey was long. He traveled to France’s capital piecemeal, stopping from town to town and doing odd jobs along the way. In all, it took three years to travel the 470 kilometers.

In Paris, Louis got a job as an apprentice to the master Monsieur Maréchal, who made suitcases and trunks for wealthy people. This happened right at the height of the Industrial Revolution. At that time, people complained a lot about their luggage being damaged during travel. Therefore, they turned to manufacturers like Maréchal to protect and pack. Louis Vuitton worked for Maréchal for 17 years.

From 1852, Vuitton began working for the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, which brought him more wealthy and influential clients, and it was they who gave him work for the rest of his career.

In 1854, Louis Vuitton opened his own business and the first boutique near the Place Vendôme square. The sign at the entrance read: “Safely packs the most fragile objects. Store specializing in packing clothes”. It was then that he developed an ideal suitcase format for the time, having created a flat model, without rounded edges and unnecessary details. Furthermore, the designer bags were waterproof. Due to the rapid growth in production, in 1859 Louis Vuitton had to open another workshop in Asnières. Initially, only 20 people worked in the factory, but in 1900 the number of employees already reached 100. Another 14 years and there were already 225 employees. This workshop still works today, however, it deals only with the manufacture of special orders.

The designer’s products have become popular around the world and a benchmark for quality and reliability. In 1885, the first Louis Vuitton store opened in London. Then came New York and Philadelphia. One of the main features of the brand’s bags was the practical and reliable lock. So people didn’t have to worry about the safety of their expensive clothes and jewelry. In 1886, Louis Vuitton and his son, Georges Vuitton, invented and patented a new type of lock. They were so confident in the success of the product that they invited the famous Harry Houdini to try to get out of the locked suitcase. The illusionist did not accept the challenge and this situation only increased the reputation of the legendary invention. In 1901, under the leadership of Georges, who continued to run the brand after his father’s death, Louis Vuitton launched the first collection of women’s bags, named the Steamer. Initially, this model was used as a bag for dirty laundry.

Louis Vuitton bags became so popular that they soon began to be counterfeited. To combat this, the company started putting the Marque Louis Vuitton déposée on every piece, but that wasn’t enough. So, in 1896, Georges invented the famous monogram, which began to be printed on jacquard fabric. Counterfeiting of branded products continues to this day. But the company’s policy is zero tolerance for counterfeits. In Europe, if a fake is seen in your hands, the product can be seized and later destroyed. And you will have to pay a fine. The company also has a tradition of returning all unsold products to headquarters in Paris and burning them. This is how the brand maintains a zero tolerance policy for counterfeiting.

The old workshop near the Seine is still in operation and today employs around 180 people. Products are made there to order🇧🇷 For example, for the main ballerina of the Mariinsky Theater, Diana Vishneva, a suitcase was made in which about five to six costumes fit, as well as 16 to 18 pairs of pointe shoes and accessories. For the production of bags and wallets, the company uses natural leather and various fabrics that are produced especially for the brand. The red and beige striped fabric, plaid and monogram remain classic Louis Vuitton prints. The company’s boutiques have a special atmosphere and each product is displayed in the best possible way. The stores are located only in business districts or inside luxury shopping malls. Some Louis Vuitton products are only available to VIP customers.

Since 1998, the brand has been producing not only handbags, but also clothing, footwear, accessories and jewelry. In September 2016, Louis Vuitton launched a line of perfumes for women. In 2018, it was the turn of the male line. And in 2019 a unisex line was launched. Curiosity: the company already produced perfumes at the beginning of the 20th century, but during the Second World War, all recipes were lost. In 2019, the brand developed a custom trunk for the League of Legends World Championship, as well as a collection of game-themed clothing. For the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which took place in Russia, the group’s designers created a suitcase to transport the 6 kg golden trophy decorated with malachite.

Do you like Louis Vuitton products? What’s your favorite piece? Tell us in the comments section.