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Louis Vuitton ouis Vuitton is one of the world’s most famous fashion brands, rivalled only by Chanel in terms of prestige and desirability. Unsurprisingly the company’s products are auction-house favourites, and many highly desirable Louis Vuitton items have gone under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn. Louis Vuitton, founder of the brand, was born in rural France just over 200 years ago. Orphaned at an early age, he left his foster home when he was 13. By the age of 16 he had worked his way to Paris, where he apprenticed himself to a trunk maker and quickly gained a reputation for his skill at the trade. So highly regarded was he that he eventually gained the position of personal trunk-maker and packer to Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie.
S TA C K I N G S E N S AT I O N In 1854 Louis set up his first shop. Shortly afterwards, spotting a gap in the market, he introduced his own design of trunk. Up until this time travel trunks had been made in leather, and were round-topped. Louis, however, made his trunks from shellacked canvas and with flat tops. Lightweight, waterproof and easy to stack, his innovative luggage was an immediate hit with wealthy international travellers. Vuitton’s success inspired copycats and fakers, and to defend itself against this threat the company began introducing new canvas patterns of its own. The striped Trianon canvas appeared in 1876, and the famous Damier canvas, incorporating the Louis Vuitton logo, made its début in 1888.
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Further variations, including the classic Monogram canvas, were to follow. Early Vuitton flat-topped travelling trunks have long been popular with interior designers, says Tennants’ textile expert Sarah White. An example painted with Lonsdale family livery (to make it easily identifiable amongst other trunks) sold at the firm’s Leyburn auction house for £3,800 a few years back.
A KEY DEVELOPMENT Louis Vuitton’s rapidly growing company kept itself at the forefront of the luxury travel market by dint of constant innovation. One notable example of this was the ‘unpickable’ tumbler lock patented by Louis’ son Georges. It was designed to safeguard the contents of travellers’ luggage against opportunistic thieves and it is still in use today. As the nature of travel changed, the Louis Vuitton luggage range adapted and expanded to match it. Hard-sided suitcases and trunks specifically designed for the growing number of clients with smart new motor cars were amongst the additions. Soon came rolling suitcases, cabin bags and a variety of other soft luggage. The iconic Louis Vuitton Keepall travel bag was introduced in the 1930s. Available in four different sizes and perfect for those who are travelling light, the Keepall is still in production today and is a favourite with celebrities. Since its initial appearance it has been made in a wide variety of different canvases and leathers. Examples in good condition do well at auction, and limited editions – which were often hard to come by in the first instance – are especially highly sought after.
