Louis Vuitton is undoubtedly one of the most iconic brands in fashion today. For the past seven years, the brand has been titled most valuable at $25.9 billion dollars, ahead of Hermes and Rolex. Louis Vuitton truly represents what it means to possess class, elegance, and luxury. The tackiest thing a person can do is just buy brands for the sake of buying brands. One must understand the culture and meaning behind each brand they own. We understand that Louis Vuitton is out of reach for most young professionals, but let this be a quick guide to understanding the significance of this iconic brand. One day you will be able to walk into that store and earn your Louis Vuitton, we just want to ensure you appreciate the significance.
History of Louis Vuitton
In 1837, Louis Vuitton started off at the tender age of sixteen apprenticing for Monsieur Marechal in Paris. He became a valued craftsman in the production of trucks and boxes; as a result of his immense talent, he became the personal box maker and packer of Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, Eugenie de Montijo. Eventually, with his prestige and fame, Vuitton returned to Paris to open his own shop, creating timeless, durable trunks for the elite class of Europe. He became highly reputable and his brand rapidly popularized. Since then, Louis Vuitton products have expanded, and grown, to become international icons. In 1997, Marc Jacobs became the Creative Director of the brand in order to expand on aesthetics, but also practicality; “What I have in mind are things that are deluxe but that you can also throw into a bag and escape town with, because Louis Vuitton has a heritage in travel”.
Louis Vuitton Major Prints
Louis Vuitton handbags are exceptionally known, both in terms of the shape of the handbag, and more specifically the print.
The Monogram Canvas
The Monogram print, most commonly attributed to Louis Vuitton, was in fact created to make the brand more unique and distinguishable in its time. Created by Louis Vuitton’s son in 1896, George Vuitton strived to eliminate replications and counterfeits of his fathers work, and in turn produced the most iconic print in our present day industry. The Monogram print is comprised of four ornaments; the initials of Louis Vuitton, the reverse image of the four-pointed star, the four curved petal flower inside a circle, and the four-pointed flower on its own.
Damier Ebene Canvas
In terms of sophistication and versatility, Damier is arguably the best Louis Vuitton print. It is a quintessential print of the brand, seeing as Louis Vuitton originally used Damier canvas to cover luggage, cabin trunks, wardrobes, and hatboxes in the early years of his career. The simplicity of this print never fails to suggest luxury and elegance. The print itself is comprised purely of monochrome squares, alternating between light and dark beige. One square from the entire Damier canvas is filled with the diagonal lettering “L. Vuitton registered trademark”.
Damier Azur Canvas
Azure literally translates to “bright blue in color, like a cloudless sky”, which is exactly what the Damier Azur bag is. Louis Vuitton took the Damier print and exchanged the monochrome beige with an alternating scheme between white and azure. Although this print is common, it is not always recognizable and associated with Louis Vuitton; thus, for a staple piece, I would recommend against it. The print itself can only truly be used in the spring and summer seasons, which decreases its versatility. The lightness of the print also makes it more strenuous to care for. Azur, because of its lightness, also implies a more youthful character.
Multicolor Monogram Canvas
Born out of collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murakami, this print is both extremely feminine and extremely popular. The multicolor monogram is the most expensive out of the Louis Vuitton canvases, yet doesn’t necessarily entail a richer look. Instead, the multicolor monogram is known to flatter younger women and give off a more energetic, playful ambiance. For the workplace and the corporate world, the multicolor monogram is likely the least suitable print; however, when paired with a bold solid color, the print has potential to be extremely sophisticated.
Louis Vuitton Signature Bags
Neverfull Tote
The Louis Vuitton Neverfull Tote is a foundation piece that allows for versatility, durability, convenience, and elegance simultaneously. This handbag poses no restriction on what you can and cannot carry around, as there is limitless space, and the shape of the bag won’t change based on how much weight it is carrying. Instead, you are given the ability to change the shape of the bag using the drawstrings on either side. The bag is available in all Louis Vuitton prints, including the limited edition Stephen Sprouse graffiti print; however, for the workplace, the monogram or damier ebene are the best options, both in terms of character and as statement pieces. The simplicity of the bag itself, highlighted with small gold details, makes this tote a lasting classic that can be worn in every season. The Neverfull Totes also possess a quality that is rare among designer bags in that they are completely reversible, the inner print of the bag is a lighter beige contoured with dark, vertical beige stripes; another chic pattern, mimicking the simplicity of the damier. Between the two common sizes of Neverfull Totes available, MM and GM, I would choose the smaller of the two, as it is less bulky and easier to wear all around. Lastly, the Neverfull Tote is one of the more affordable staples from Louis Vuitton, around the price range of $800.00.
Speedy
The Speedy is arguably the most iconic bag of the Louis Vuitton house, meaning it is also one of the most recognizable handbags to have ever existed. The shape of the speedy has been mimicked innumerable times; however, the bag has remained an exclusive icon to the Louis Vuitton name. One of the biggest downfalls to the Speedy is that the strap is built as such that it can only sit on the crux of the arm; the straps are too short to fit over the shoulder. In terms of convenience, some women find this comfortable, while others do not. In comparison to the Neverfull Tote, the Speedy is much more of a statement, and meant less for practicality. There is less space, and the shape can easily be altered with heavy objects. The Speedy comes in the sizes 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, and 40cm; the most common being the Speedy 30cm. You can’t go wrong with this handbag; in every Louis Vuitton print, it is a timeless classic.
Young professionals are constantly striving to create a strong, reputable name for themselves. This can be done through many avenues; one of the most influential being fashion. Women who posses pieces from any Louis Vuitton collection, signature pieces such as the Neverfull or Speedy in particular, carry with them an abundance of class and elegance. Recognized on an international level, Louis Vuitton will never seize to amaze and impress both the corporate world, and otherwise.