Saturday, July 23, 2011

all about LV


Louis Vuitton worked for several years as an apprentice to Monsieur Marėchal, the most famous travel trunk and case maker of this time period, before beginning his own company.After studying with Monsieur Marėchal for 17 years before deciding to start his own trunk-making business in 1854.His first trunk-making workshop was located just a short walk from the major fashionhouses of the rue de la Paix and the place Vendôme.By 1860, Vuitton's business had grown by leaps and bounds.Not only did he have a trunk-making shop, he also had a luggage workshop as well as a brand new manufacturing workshop.However, because of the city's construction and adding of new arrondissements, he decided to move his operations from Paris to Asnières.By 1867, his factory was going strong, and business was improving even more.In 1867, over 15 million visitors attended the World's Fair in Paris.Here, Vuitton participated as one of the 52,000 exhibitors, showcasing his trunks made in his new factory in Asnières.Vuitton ended up winning third place and a bronze medal.
In 1871, after the Franco-Prussian War had ended, Vuitton decided to open up a new store in addition to his Asnières workshop.This store opened at the highly fashionable 1 rue Scribe.He decided to devote two of the store's wings to travel goods and one wing to luggage.This was a sure sign of what direction his company would take in the future.In 1875, Vuitton received one of his more unusual commissions from the well-known explorer, Savorgnan de Brazzo.De Brazzo requested a set ofluggage for expedition to the Congo as well as a trunk-bed.Vuitton met his requirements by designing a folding frame fitted into a compact trunk.A canvas springing on a thin but comfortable mattress was fitted over the frame.Needless to say, de Brazzo was thrilled with the items and Vuitton's skill and reputation continued to spread.When Vuitton's son, Georges, married in 1880, Louis took this as an opportunity to reorganize the company.Louis wanted to concentrate on the Asnières workshop, so he decided to hand over the setup at 1 rue Scribe to Georges and his new wife Josèphine.
The original pattern of Louis Vuitton's trunks was a striped canvas.However, as the label became more and more popular, it was copied more and more.So, in 1889, Louis and Georges Vuitton decided to change their signature pattern to a brown draught board pattern on a beige background.This new pattern bore the very first registered trademark (Marque L. Vuitton dèsposèe).The new pattern was referred to as the Damier canvas.These new trunks were to be covered in woven moleskin coated using a new process.In 1885, Louis Vuitton expanded the company to London, where he opened a third store.In 1892, Vuitton published the company's first catalog which displayed items such as: traditional trunks covered either in leather or canvas, watertight trunks for people traveling to the colonies, trunk-beds, wardrobes, picnic cases, soft travel bags, five-barrel locks, handbags, and more.The catalog was proof of the evolution of Vuitton's work.This catalog held the first appearance of bags made of soft canvas.Fittingly, Vuitton passed away just a few weeks later on February 27, 1892.






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