Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (French pronunciation: [lwi vɥitɔ̃]) or

shortened to LV, is a French fashion house and luxury goods company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton.
[1] The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather
goods to ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses and books. Louis Vuitton is one
of the world's leading international fashion houses; it sells its products through standalone boutiques,
lease departments in high-end department stores, and through the e-commerce section of its website.
[6][7]

For six consecutive years (2006–2012), Louis Vuitton was named the world's most valuable luxury brand.
Its 2012 valuation was US$25.9 billion.[8] The 2013 valuation of the brand was US$28.4 billion with
revenue of US$9.4 billion.[9] The company operates in 50 countries with more than 460 stores
worldwide.[10]

Louis Vuitton's "LV" logo

Contents

1 History

1.1 Founding to World War II

1.2 Collaboration

1.3 1945 through 2000

1.4 2001 to 2011

1.5 2012 to present

2 Brand

3 Products

4 Advertising campaigns

5 Special collaborations

6 Controversy and disputes

6.1 Britney Spears video

6.2 "Simple Living"

6.3 Checker-pattern chair in Hong Kong barber shop

6.4 S-Lock copyright in Hong Kong

7 See also

7.1 Historical and current French trunk makers and competitors

7.2 Other current competitors

8 References

9 External links

History

Founding to World War II

See also: Louis Vuitton (designer)

The Louis Vuitton label was founded by Vuitton in 1854 on Rue Neuve des Capucines in Paris, France.
Louis Vuitton started at $10,567 as a sales price.[11] Louis Vuitton had observed that the HJ Cave
Osilite[12] trunk could be easily stacked. In 1858, Vuitton introduced his flat-topped trunks with trianon
canvas, making them lightweight and airtight.[11] Before the introduction of Vuitton's trunks, rounded-
top trunks were used, generally to promote water runoff, and thus could not be stacked. It was Vuitton's
gray Trianon canvas flat trunk that allowed the ability to stack them on top of another with ease for
voyages. Many other luggage makers later imitated Vuitton's style and design.[7]

The company participated in the 1867 Universal Exhibition in Paris.[11] In 1871, Ōyama Iwao became
the first recorded Japanese customer, ordering a set of luggage while in Paris as a military observer
during the Franco-Prussian War.[13] To protect against the duplication of his look, Vuitton changed the
Trianon design to a beige and brown stripes design in 1876.[7] By 1885, the company opened its first
store in London on Oxford Street.[11] Soon thereafter, due to the continuing imitation of his look, in
1888, Vuitton created the Damier Canvas pattern, which bore a logo that reads "marque L. Vuitton
déposée", which translates into "L. Vuitton registered trademark". In 1892, Louis Vuitton died, and the
company's management passed to his son.[7][11]

Ad for Louis Vuitton luggage, 1898

After the death of his father, Georges Vuitton began a campaign to build the company into a worldwide
corporation, exhibiting the company's products at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. In 1896, the
company launched the signature Monogram Canvas and made the worldwide patents on it.[7][11] Its
graphic symbols, including quatrefoils and flowers (as well as the LV monogram), were based on the
trend of using Japanese Mon designs in the late Victorian era.[14] The patents later proved to be
successful in stopping counterfeiting. In this same year, Georges travelled to the United States, where he
toured cities such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, selling Vuitton products. In 1901, the Louis
Vuitton Company introduced the Steamer Bag, a smaller piece of luggage designed to be kept inside
Vuitton luggage trunks.

By 1913, the Louis Vuitton Building opened on the Champs-Elysees. It was the largest travel-goods store
in the world at the time. Stores also opened in New York, Bombay, Washington, London, Alexandria, and
Buenos Aires as World War I began. Afterwards, in 1930, the Keepall bag was introduced. During 1932,
LV introduced the Noé bag. This bag was originally made for champagne vintners to transport bottles.
Soon thereafter, the Louis Vuitton Speedy bag was introduced (both are still manufactured today).[11] In
1936 Georges Vuitton died, and his son, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, assumed control of the company.[11]

Collaboration

During World War II, Louis Vuitton collaborated with the Nazis during the German occupation of France.
The French book Louis Vuitton, A French Saga, authored by French journalist Stephanie Bonvicini and
published by Paris-based Editions Fayard[15] tells how members of the Vuitton family actively aided the
Vichy government led by Marshal Philippe Pétain and increased their wealth from their business affairs
with the Germans. The family set up a factory dedicated to producing artefacts glorifying Pétain,
including more than 2,500 busts.

Caroline Babulle, a spokeswoman for the publisher, Fayard, said: "They have not contested anything in
the book, but they are trying to bury it by pretending it doesn't exist."[16] Responding to the book's
release in 2004, a spokesman for LVMH said: "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."[16] An LVMH spokesman told the satirical magazine Le Canard Enchaîné:
"We don't deny the facts, but regrettably the author has exaggerated the Vichy episode. We haven't put
any pressure on anyone. If the journalists want to censor themselves, then that suits us fine." That
publication was the only French periodical to mention the book, LVMH is the country's biggest
advertiser in the press.[16]

1945 through 2000

See also: Louis Vuitton Cup, America's Cup, and LVMH

Louis Vuitton store in Nicosia, Cyprus

Louis Vuitton store in Lugano, Switzerland.

During this period, Louis Vuitton began to incorporate leather into most of its products, which ranged
from small purses and wallets to larger pieces of luggage. In order to broaden its line, the company
revamped its signature Monogram Canvas in 1959[11] to make it more supple, allowing it to be used for
purses, bags, and wallets. It is believed that in the 1920s, counterfeiting returned as a greater issue to
continue on into the 21st century.[7] In 1966, the Papillon was launched (a cylindrical bag that is still
popular today). By 1977 with annual revenue up to 70 million Francs (US$14.27 million).[17] A year
later, the label opened its first stores in Japan: in Tokyo and Osaka. In 1983, the company joined with
America's Cup to form the Louis Vuitton Cup, a preliminary competition (known as an eliminatory
regatta) for the yacht race. Louis Vuitton later expanded its presence in Asia with the opening of a store
in Taipei, Taiwan in 1983 and Seoul, South Korea in 1984. In the following year, 1985, the Epi leather line
was introduced.[11]

1987 saw the creation of LVMH.[11] Moët et Chandon and Hennessy, leading manufacturers of
champagne and cognac, merged respectively with Louis Vuitton to form the luxury goods conglomerate.
Profits for 1988 were reported to have been up by 49% more than in 1987. By 1989, Louis Vuitton came
to operate 130 stores worldwide.[11] Entering the 1990s, Yves Carcelle was named president of LV, and
in 1992, his brand opened its first Chinese location at the Palace Hotel in Beijing. Further products
became introduced such as the Taiga leather line in 1993, and the literature collection of Voyager Avec...
in 1994. In 1996, the celebration of the Centennial of the Monogram Canvas was held in seven cities
worldwide.[11]

In 1997, Louis Vuitton made Marc Jacobs its Artistic Director.[18] In March of the following year, he
designed and introduced the company's first "prêt-à-porter" line of clothing for men and women. Also in
this year products introduced included the Monogram Vernis line, the LV scrapbooks, and the Louis
Vuitton City Guide.[11]

The last events in the 20th century were the release of the mini monogram line in 1999, the opening of
the first store in Africa in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2000, and finally, the auction at the International Film
Festival in Venice, Italy, where the vanity case "amfAR" designed by Sharon Stone was sold, with the
proceeds going to the Foundation for AIDS Research (also in 2000).[11]