Louis Vuitton Gray Jacket

The story behind iconic luxury brand Louis Vuitton — best known for its esteemed handbags, crossbody bags, leather goods, ready-to-wear clothing and more — is one of craft and innovation in the worlds of fashion, jewelry and furniture.

The company’s modest origins can be traced back to when its founder, Louis Vuitton (1821–92), wishing to free himself from the conventional lifestyle in his provincial French city of Anchay as well as a difficult stepmother, left in the early 1830s to make a new life in Paris. The young Vuitton was 13 at the time and would need to travel on foot to get to the capital, which was hundreds of miles away. With stops along the way to make money so that he could forge ahead, the journey took a couple of years, but reward was close at hand.

When he arrived in Paris, Vuitton made a living with his hands. He toiled as a box maker and packer for more than a decade and built relationships with royals and members of the upper class while working for the empress of France, Eugenie de Montijo. In 1854, Vuitton launched his namesake company. The craftsman opened a humble workshop on rue Neuve des Capucines and advertised his services with a small poster that read: “Securely packs the most fragile objects. Specializing in packing fashions.”

Long before his brand would become known globally for its exemplary top-handle bags and stylish totes, Vuitton produced stackable and rectangular trunks. The most common trunks of the era were round, which weren’t ideal for toting and storing. In 1858, Vuitton debuted his lightweight, handcrafted canvas trunks, which were sturdy, rugged and equipped with convenient compartments. Travel’s popularity broadened in the late 19th century, and Vuitton’s trunks could easily be packed into train cars and ships — upright trunks meant hanging wardrobe storage that would allow his clients to transport their sophisticated garments without worry. Demand increased and the company grew. When Louis Vuitton died in 1892, control of the luxury house was passed onto his only son, Georges Vuitton.

In 1914, a Louis Vuitton store opened at 70 Champs-Élysées. The largest travel-goods store in the world at the time, it became the company’s flagship.

The Louis Vuitton brand embodies all the attributes of luxury, from the craftsmanship, exclusivity and relevance to heritage. It’s only appropriate that it boasts one of the most recognizable insignias — the imaginative interlocking of letters and fleurettes — in the fashion world. The famous LV monogram was first used in 1896 as part of an initiative by Georges to prevent counterfeiting of his coveted new line of travel trunks. It’s one of the earliest examples of fashion branding.

The LV monogram would soon appear on everything from bags and various fashion accessories to alligator-skin champagne cases, from stylish apparel and earrings to teddy bears and airplane models.

On 1stDibs, the unmistakable insignia can be found on both modern and vintage Louis Vuitton shoulder bags, suitcases, original 19th-century trunks, jackets and more.

No matter if you’re preparing for a fashion event or a weather event — you’re going to need a good jacket.

What would become the modern jacket as we know it began as a strictly professional item. A lot of the vintage and designer jackets (and coat styles such as the Navy-inspired peacoat) in our closets were likely popularized by soldiers who battled aggressive climes with their regulation field jackets, bombers and parkas buttoned or zipped to the chin. Indeed, keeping troopers comfortable guided the design of the military surplus garments that have often become buzzy fashion trends. But now, jackets add far more than warmth to our wardrobe, and we hunt down outer layers branded with peerless fashion labels.

Fashion’s most iconic creations, despite their age, remain modern: Biker jackets originated in the 1920s, Balenciaga’s celebrated puffers are steeped in a tradition of down coats that began in the 1930s and your vintage denim jacket has come an even longer way, from California Gold Rush to wardrobe staple. Jeans bequeathed jean jackets during the 1880s, thanks to Levi Strauss, who crafted the former as a durable garment to be worn by miners and railroad workers. Later, jeans and jean jackets became synonymous with nonconformity and rebelliousness — with fashion legends such as actor James Dean in the 1950s and model Veruschka in the 1960s and ’70s leading the indigo-toned charge.

Another fashion rebel, Coco Chanel, used the classic tweed jacket to introduce more comfort and mobility into women’s daily lives. Debuting in 1954 and based on a cardigan, the groundbreaking Chanel jacket forever changed what women wear. The garment reacted against the fitted, constricting styles of Christian Dior’s New Look, which, as Chanel saw it, was making women dress like decorative objects.

On 1stDibs, find bold collections from cutting-edge contemporary designers who’ve taken the classic silhouette of the jacket to new heights or build out your array of vintage treasures (denim or otherwise) with dazzlers from Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Moschino and more.