FashionBlog

The Louis Vuitton brand is synonymous  with the jet-setting chic. His classic designs have endured, and it remains one of the world’s most recognizable luxury brands.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how a teenager’s solitary odyssey to Paris turned into one of the best success stories of all time.

Louis Vuitton  was born on August 4, 1821, in Anchay, located in the eastern part of France. A few years after his mother died, he left the small town of his birth to seek fortune in the nation’s capital. Stopping frequently to work odds jobs along the way, it took him two years to reach his destination on foot. After his arrival in Paris at the age of sixteen, he was hired as an apprentice by Romain Maréchal. Vuitton packed and made boxes in the workshop for seventeen years.

This was during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in France. Along with the numerous technological advancements, travel was made easier by the increasing number of rail and steam ship lines. More people travelling = higher demand for luggage.

In 1854, Vuitton opened his first shop in Paris at 4 Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, advertising that he, ‘securely packs the most fragile of objects’. At that time, dome shaped steam trunks were the most popular style of luggage available. Vuitton revolutionized the game by fabricating square luggage that was easily stackable, and that also allowed for garments to be hung upright. It was a success, and attracted affluent clientele such as Emperor Napoléon III’s consort, Empress Eugénie de Montijo.

Harry Houdini and the ‘lock that no-one could pick’

Along with other innovations, such as waterproof luggage made out of canvas, foldable beds, and made to order luggage customized for his clients, the brand also developed a lock that ‘no one could pick’ for their trunks. In 1896, George Vuitton (Louis Vuitton’s son), patented the single lock system with two spring buckles. The efficiency was undisputed. George was so confident with the quality of the locks that he publicly challenged famed escape artist and illusionist, Harry Houdini, to break out of a locked Louis Vuitton trunk. Unfortunately for us, history does not record Houdini’s response. The lock system is still used by the company today.

The famous ‘LV’ monogram

After Louis Vuitton’s death in 1892, George took over the reins of the company. It was he who created the now instantly recognizable ‘LV’ monogram with flowers on brown leather. This was done in an attempt to thwart fraudulent copies, (a problem that still plagues the company) and was inadvertently a genius branding move. It remains one of the most popular selling prints.

WWII

In 2004, Stephanie Bonvincini’s book, ‘Louis Vuitton, A French Saga’ revealed that the family had links to the French Vichy government, who collaborated with the Nazis during the occupation in WWII. The book states that not only did the company benefit financially from their dealings with the Nazis and the Vichy government, but also that they fabricated images of Pétain (the Chief of State of Vichy France) to positively promote his image.

French luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH (who purchased Louis Vuitton in 1987) responded, “This is ancient history. The book covers a period when it was family-run and long before it became part of LVMH. We are diverse, tolerant and all the things a modern company should be.”

From luggage, to handbags and sneakers?

Louis Vuitton introduced their first leather handbag in 1930, called the ‘Speedy’, and never looked back. In 1997, the company branched out to include a fashion, accessory and perfume line. They still create custom made pieces for their high-end clientele, and all of their luggage and bags are hand-made by highly skilled craftsmen/women.

Currently there are 460 Louis Vuitton boutiques internationally, and the company remains one of the highest grossing luxury brands in the world. But is it worth the hefty price-tag? I’ll let you be the judge…

When we think of high-end brands, Gucci is often one of the first which comes to mind.

While not everybody can afford to buy Gucci items, some people consider the brand as a staple in their wardrobe.

Here are 30 interesting facts you might not know about this high end brand!

1. Gucci was founded in Italy in 1921.
2. Guccio Gucci was the main man behind the company. He established it in Florence when he was 40 years old.
3. The famous double G logo stands for Guccio Gucci.
4. Although Gucci began in Italy, a country known for its fashion, the style was inspired by those living in London and around England.
5. When it first began, the company manufactured quality leather luggage items. Handbags and briefcases are still some of the most popular Gucci items.
6. Gucci got his inspiration when he was working as an elevator operator in London’s swanky Savoy Hotel. He met famous celebrities such as Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe, and their accessories inspired him to start his own brand.
7. Many celebrities around the world are hardcore fans of this brand, including rapper 2 Chainz who famously said, ‘When I die, bury me inside the Gucci store.’
8. Among the first items to be made by Gucci were detachable leather bags for saddles. He sold them to keen horsemen in Italy.
9. It’s easy to figure out where the recognizable horsebit logo came from. This logo was first seen in the 1950’s and has remained a key part of the brand ever since.
10. It was first seen on saddle bags before Gucci changed it to a silk addition and started using it on many other products, including jewelry and briefcases.
11. Until he died in 1953, Guccio Gucci personally managed the brand.
12. After his death, his sons took over the business and promoted the products among Hollywood celebrities.
13. The popular Gucci Hobo Bag was used by celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor.
14. Flora was a print first seen on scarves, and was specifically requested by Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco.
15. The scarf was designed by Rodolfo Gucci, one of Guccio’s sons.
16. The GG logo was not created by Gucci himself. It was designed in 1960 to honor Guccio Gucci after his death.
17. During the 1940’s, Italy was under the rule of Dictator Benito Mussolini. The fascist regime meant that leather was often very difficult to acquire, so many Gucci products were made using silk.
18. The 1980’s saw Gucci almost go bankrupt after scandalous stories of the Gucci family hit the press.
19. In an attempt to bring about some positive change, Tom Ford was appointed the position of Creative Director at Gucci in 1994.
20. Within 5 years, an increase of 90% in sales was reported and the House of Gucci was worth about $4 billion. Ford was the largest shareholder at one point during his time at the company.
21. The Gucci “Genius Jeans” entered the Guinness World Records as the most expensive pair of jeans in the entire world. They were valued at a whopping $3,134 back in 1998.
22. Many high-profile designers work alongside Gucci, including Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney.
23. In 2005, Gucci decided to enter a partnership with UNICEF. This means that a percentage of all profits are donated to the organization, helping children to get a better education and clean water in third-world countries.
24. The Bamboo Shopper is one of the most iconic Gucci items, but many people are surprised to hear of how it came about. When leather was sparse, designers had to experiment with other materials, including bamboo.
25. Sixty years after Gucci founded the business, the company had its first runway show. It was held in Florence where it all began.
26. Many items have been around for years, but they are redesigned and improve regularly. The Flora scarf, for example, was reinvented in 2015 for the Cruise Collection.
27. Frida Giannini became the Creative Director in 2006 after Tom Ford left to start his own brand.
28. In 2015, fashion designer Alessandro Michele took over as the Creative Direction. Since then, sales have grown by 12% and Gucci is even more prominent at world-class events such as Milan Fashion Week.
29. It was the first brand to host a fashion show at Westminster Abbey, London, which took place in 2017.
30. Gucci’s Chime for Change project aims to help empower young girls and women and has successful funded over 200 different projects so far.