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.
$27Sale Price|20% Off
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition - Madrid Barcelona Grenada Seville
By Louis Vuitton
Located in London, GB
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition - Madrid Barcelona Grenada Seville Lisbon, Pastel Lime Green Paper cover Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.5 x 0....
$32Sale Price|20% Off
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition London Dublin Brussels Antwerp
By Louis Vuitton
Located in London, GB
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition - London Dublin Brussels Antwerp, Pastel Lime Green Paper cover Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.5 x 0.6 cm Pu...
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition Rome Florence Milan Venice
By Louis Vuitton
Located in London, GB
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition -Rome Florence Milan Venice, Pastel Lime Green Paper cover Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.5 x 0.6 cm Publisher:...
$32Sale Price|20% Off
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition Amsterdam Stockholm Copenhagen
By Louis Vuitton
Located in London, GB
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition - Amsterdam Stockholm Copenhagen Helsinki, Pastel Lime Green Paper cover Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.5 x 0...
$76Sale Price|20% Off
Bulgari Catalog, Jewelry and Watches Collection 2011
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Bvlgari catalog, jewelry and watches. Bulgari "Serpenti" Collection of 2011. Hardcover catalog of one of the most famous Luxury Jewellery maker in the ...
Cartier and America by Martin Chapman Hardcover Table Book 1st Ed. 2009
By Cartier
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Cartier and America by Martin Chapman Hardcover Table Book 2009. 176 pp. 1st Edition Published in 2009. Dimensions: 11" x 10" x 1". As opulent as the treasures it celebrates, this lavish volume presents Cartier's timeless designs worn by some of the twentieth century's most legendary figures. It's been one hundred years since the House of Cartier opened its doors on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Since then the luxury jeweler has been creating exquisite brooches, bracelets, tiaras, timepieces, and other items including scent bottles, so-called mystery clocks, and handbags many of them specially commissioned by their illustrious patrons. Readers will see up close Gloria Swanson's bracelets from Sunset Boulevard, Douglas Fairbanks s elegant watch, the Duchess of Windsor s panther brooch, and Grace Kelly s 10.47-carat diamond engagement ring, as well as items owned by Marion Davies, Vivien Leigh, Barbara Hutton, and Elizabeth Taylor. Author Martin Chapman offers an in-depth exploration of how Cartier conquered America, from its European birth in 1847 to its arrival on the other side of the Atlantic, and from its whimsical Art Deco creations to the red carpet prominence that linked the name Cartier with fame, wealth, and exclusivity. In addition to stunning color images of each object, the book features photographs of stars and heiresses wearing their Cartier jewelry. A beautiful volume for fashion aficionados, this trove of jewelry is a tribute to Cartier s...
Louis Vuitton Le Catalogue Reference Book No 7 2011
By Louis Vuitton
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Louis Vuitton Le Catalogue Reference Book No 7. From the Louis Vuitton store in Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills in California. Catalog LV 2011 GIF...
$520Sale Price|20% Off
H 13.5 in W 11 in D 3 in
Maharaja's Jewels Hardcover Table Book by Katherine Prior, Assouline
By Assouline Publishing
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Maharaja's Jewels Table Book by Katherine Prior, Assouline. The stories of Indian princes and their jewelry and precious stones are brought together in this illustrated narrative tracing the rise and fall of India's leading royal houses through the dramatic fortunes of their crown jewels. Traditionally, precious metals and jewels have been, for Indians rich and poor, a repository of wealth and a status symbol. For the reigning families, jewels also had symbolic and religious significance. Also here are the original drawings by great European jewelers of the pieces they designed for their exotic and demanding clients. The text is both lively and scholarly, drawing from descriptions of such travelers as Marco Polo and Tavernier as well as Sanskrit dramatists extolling the riches of India. The core of this lavishly photographed book is the encounter between Indian princely magnificence and the best of European Jewellery designers in the 20th century when many of the Maharaja's travelled to Europe with trunks filled with traditional Indian jewels and unset stones...
Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin: 2000 Hardcover Makeup Artistry Book
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Face Forward By Kevyn Aucoin Hardcover Book. Face Forward is a cosmetics book written by Kevyn Aucoin. It was a New York Times bestseller. The book was widely noted for introducing ...
$69
H 12 in W 12 in D 1 in
Louis Comfort Tiffany Masterworks Hardcover Book by Bedoyere D. E. La Camilla
By Louis Comfort Tiffany
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Louis Comfort Tiffany Masterworks Hardcover Book by Bedoyere D. E. La Camilla. Louis Comfort Tiffany was highly skilled in jewellery design, as well as ceramics, enamels, and metalwo...
Vintage Vogue Magazine : November 1994, Cover Model Cindy Crawford
By Vogue
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Collectible Vogue Magazine, November 1994 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Cover model, Cindy Crawford! Editor: Anna Wintour! 388 pages of fashion, ad...
$144Sale Price|20% Off
W 3.74 in L 6.5 in
c. 1910s–1920s Antique Geo. W. Noble Spiritual Pocket Book with Original Cover
Located in Honolulu, HI
An exquisite piece of literary history—this original 1910s–1920s antique pocket book was published by the renowned Geo. W. Noble in Chicago. Titled "The Swo...
Gucci Mini Notebook Set of Three NIB
By Gucci
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Gucci Mini Notebook set of three, each notebook measures: 6.5' x 5' x 0.5'. Comes with original dust bag and box.
Peter Carl Fabergé 1995 Fabergé Eggs Imperial Russian Fantasies Book
By Peter Carl Fabergé
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Faberge Eggs Imperial Russian Fantasies Softcover Book. Faberge Eggs Imperial Russian Fantasies Softcover Book. Near Fine-very. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,1995. 'Fabergé Eggs - Imperial Russian Fantasies'. Elephant Folio, illustrated perfect-bound wraps, 68 pp. A visually sumptuous presentation of the famous - and very rare Fabergé Eggs...
Russian Fairy Tales. Illustrations by Ivan Bilibin.
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Russian Fairy Tales. Illustrations by Ivan Bilibin. I am offering a collectible edition of *Russian Fairy Tales* featuring the legendary illustrations of Ivan Bilibin. This book was...
Antique 1881 Peterson's Magazine with Paris Fashion Plate & Engravings
Located in Honolulu, HI
An authentic Victorian American women's periodical, Peterson's Ladies' National Magazine (Vol. LXXX, September 1881), published at 306 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Collected from a...
Cartier 2008 Hardcover Jewelry Book by Francois Chaille, Unisex, Red
By Cartier
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Cartier Hardcover by Francois Chaille 2008. Cartier Red Jewelry Book English Edition Hardcover Small Book. 80 pages and 6" x 8.5". In good condition showing only minor wear on cover....
$475
H 12 in W 9.5 in D 3 in
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor Auction Sothebys Books Catalogs in Slipcase Box
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Sotheby's "The Duke and Duchess of Windsor Auction" Book Catalogs. This is a three volume boxed set of sale catalogues which were produced by Soth...
$220Sale Price|20% Off
H 10.5 in W 8.5 in
Hermes Vintage Paris Auction Catalog 2018 Published by Gros & Delettrez
By Hermès
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Paris Hermes Vintage Auction Catalog June 2018 Published by Gros & Delettrez, Hermes Vintage Paris Auction Catalog 2018. Published by Gros & Delet...
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition Berlin Hamburg Munich Geneva Zurich
By Louis Vuitton
Located in London, GB
2002 Louis Vuitton City Guide French Edition - Berlin Hamburg Munich Geneva Zurich, Pastel Lime Green Paper cover Dimensions: 12.1 x 20.5 x 0.6 cm Publisher: Louis Vuitton Langu...
Louis Vuitton Murakami Lucite Book New
By Louis Vuitton
Located in West Hollywood, CA
The Murakami Rizzoli 2009 Cover book Art Fashion Architecture. Features over 400 pages of multiple artists who have worked with LV throughout the years as well as many of LV architec...