Louis Vuitton was only sixteen years old when he arrived in Paris by foot to become an apprentice to masterful trunk maker Monsieur Maréchal in 1837. In 1854, he established his namesake brand and was well on his way to becoming an internationally respected luggage designer. By 1888, the distinctive look of Vuitton luggage became prey to imitators, so the legendary LV monogram pattern we know today was created by Louis Vuitton’s son and the rest is history. So how much does a Louis Vuitton bag cost today, nearly 170 years later? The average price of a new Louis Vuitton bag is between $2,000 and $5,000! Here are 5 more Louis Vuitton facts to tickle your fancy:
5 Louis Vuitton Facts
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- Louis Vuitton walked over 290 miles for two years to reach Paris. (source) He fled his tumultuous family home at only 13 years old and did a variety of odd jobs to survive the trip. This determination would manifest throughout his future business ventures.
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- Georges Vuitton patented a revolutionary lock system that was so effective he challenged Houdini to escape it. (source) Development of the lock began in 1886, and after several years, Georges Vuitton patented the unprecedented single lock system with two spring buckles. In a public newspaper, he challenged Houdini to escape from a Vuitton box and lock. Houdini did not rise to the challenge, but the lock technology is deemed so effective that it is still being used today.
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- The richest man in the world is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. (source) With a net worth of $214.4 billion, Bernard Arnault (and his family) is the richest man in the world. In the 1980s, the prolific French investor had the idea to unite luxury brands into a powerful group. Other notable subsidiaries are Tiffany & Co, Christian Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Moët Hennessy, and Sephora.
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- Prior to establishing his company, Louis Vuitton was a trunk-maker to Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. (source) He was appointed her official trunk maker and packer in 1853. She helped to introduce his name to socialites and dignitaries across Europe and America.
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- Louis Vuitton’s first store was called “Louis Vuitton: Malletier a Paris”. (source) The original store sign still exists today and the location remains a popular attraction for tourists and fashion lovers worldwide.
Featured image photo credit: O.Horbacz, 2011. Originally found on Wikimedia.org. Image was resized and cropped. Creative Commons 2.0.
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