Louis Vuitton is one of the most significant luxury brands in the world. The French company, with its headquarters in Paris, served the highest standards with its refined collection of leather goods, clothing, watches, jewellery, perfume and accessories and can claim a company history of over 100 years.
(...) Continue readingLouis Vuitton started out as a small producer of suitcases
The history of Louis Vuitton began with its founder and namesake who in 1837, at the age of 16, made his way to Paris by foot to start an apprenticeship with the suitcase and luggage manufacturer Monsieur Maréchal. He proved his skills so much over the course of 17 years that in 1854 he was able to open his own store, Louis Vuitton Malletier, near the Place Vendôme (malletier is French for trunk-maker). His hand-designed cases impressed with their ease of use and enjoyed great popularity, and the young entrepreneur was encouraged to open a second workshop just a few years later in the Parisian suburb of Asnières. He initially employed 20 people there, with the Vuitton family residence built close by. Today, the number of employees in Asnières has grown to around 150, produing high-quality exclusive models for customers.
Revolutionary patent and custom-made products
In 1867, Louis Vuitton took part in the Paris World’s Fair, and opened his first branch office outside of France in 1885 in the famous Oxford Street in London. In 1886, Vuitton and his son Georges developed a suitcase lock that was revolutionary for its time, the patent of which is still in use today. After the death of his father in 1893, Georges Vuitton presented a significantly expanded range at the Chicago World’s Fair which also included multifunctional and convertible suitcases as well as hat boxes and special models. The Louis Vuitton company designed a case for the French-Italian Africa explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza which could be converted into a bed. Such custom-made products became a cherished company tradition, and Georges Vuitton personally designed the famous LV logo in 1896. In 1901, the Steamer Bag was a great success – a cuboid-shaped travel bag that could easily be placed inside a larger model and so save space.
Limited special editions and great names
Following the death of Georges Vuitton, Louis Vuitton was managed in the third generation by Gaston-Louis Vuitton. The sinking demand for travel trunks led to one of the company’s most difficult phases and by the mid-1970s had only 60 employees and two boutiques in Paris and Nice. To fend off a hostile takeover, the company merged with the French spirits manufacturer Moët Hennessy in 1986 to form the group LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton S.A., but, despite all efforts, was eventually taken over by the French multi-billionaire Bernard Arnault. The limited special editions, created by renowned designers and often only available to a select group of buyers, are coveted worldwide. Great names who were active for Louis Vuitton include Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, Rei Kawakubo, Yayoi Kusama, Nicolas Ghesquière, Virgil Abloh and Pharrell Williams. In order to protect the exclusivity of its sought-after designs, Louis Vuitton has pursued several lawsuits, such as with Sony BMG over a music video by Britney Spears which features a fake Louis Vuitton.
Louis Vuitton - Works that have already been sold at Kunsthaus Lempertz:
