LOUIS VUITTON

Louis Vuitton (born 1821 in Anchay, Jura, France, died 1892) was apprenticed to several luggage makers in Paris from 1839 before he founded his own company and began making trunks in 1854. His flat luggage designs were distinctive for their inteded use on the new railway cars for personal travel; traditional iron-bound trunks were used on horse-drawn coaches.  After Louis Vuitton died in 1892, his son, Georges Vuitton, took over the company and put a shop to widespread copying of Vuitton designs by developing and patenting the distinctive "LV" monogram in beige on chestnut brown leather, thereby creating the first designer label on a product. Georges also developed Vuitton's unique five-combination lock. The company grew in size and importance by keeping the quality of their leather goods of the highest standards. The Louis Vuitton company has become a leader in luxury consumer good, with products that include handbags, travel, books, perfume and designer clothing.