Steamer Messenger

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.

Stylish and practical, vintage and designer crossbody bags and messenger bags are ideal for all occasions, from lunch dates to errands to sunny afternoons in the park to formal affairs.

Messenger bags are a fashion staple. A shoulder bag that’s designed to be durable and lightweight, messenger bags offer comfort and convenience when carrying heavy items, and while their functionality is comparable to that of standard backpacks, you don’t have to take your bag off to get into its compartments and various zippered pockets. This is a sophisticated accessory — it sits flat against your body and provides easy access to your belongings at all times.

Our love for vintage handbags and purses goes back a long time. For as long as we’ve needed to carry around personal items to and from our homes, handbags of some fashion have been in our lives. Bag design evolved notably during the later Middle Ages to meet the needs of increasingly prosperous, sophisticated and diverse societies. As craftspeople grew in skill, and the choice of materials and dyes increased, the bags’ exteriors were embellished to please the eye and signify status. In our modern era, there is a vast range of iconic handbags and other bags to choose from.

Crossbody bags, which were designed to be worn on one side of the body so that the long strap is looped over the opposite shoulder, have been popular and versatile accessories over time, thankfully improving upon the medieval-era crude leather and silk coin purses that Europeans fastened to their belts as well as the drawstring pouches of the Renaissance, which held money as often as they did flowers and spices. These bags — as well as the stylish messenger bags that have materialized during the 20th century — weren’t bound by gender when they first appeared, and they certainly aren’t today.

For an alluring alternative to a satchel or backpack, luxury houses and various legendary brands such as Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and others offer a wide range of crossbody bags and messenger bags for the discerning bag enthusiast. Find these bags in all shapes and sizes on 1stDibs.