Just hearing the name Louis Vuitton conjures up images of quality and style. The Louis Vuitton name is attached to one of the world's most popular and famous luxury brands. The celebrated brand was founded in Paris in the year 1854 by French craftsman and fashion designer Louis Vuitton.

Young Vuitton began his early career by crafting travel trunks for Empress Eugénie de Montijo, Napoleon's wife, in an era when travel was accomplished by horse-drawn carriage and ships. Vuitton used his considerable skill to fashion stackable flat-topped trunks that were lightweight, airtight, waterproof, and most famously featured spring buckle locks that were unpickable, so much so that even the great Houdini declined to attempt to do so!

At age thirty-three Louis Vuitton opened his workshop at 4 Rue Neuve-des-Capucines in Paris, crafting artisanal travel trunks like the aluminium Explorer's Trunk designed for travel in the hot and humid regions of Asia and Africa, and the Mah Jong Trunk that looked like it was built to play the Chinese tile game, but featured hidden drawers for valuables.

Times have changed a lot since then, and now the Louis Vuitton name is proudly stamped on high-quality modern luggage and accessories like the popular tote bags for men, and stylish women's handbags, still a symbol of sophisticated luxury travel to this day! The Louis Vuitton brand also produces some of the world's finest fashion accessories, clothing, jewellery, and perfumes, the name is synonymous with elegance.

Upon Louis Vuitton's death in 1892, his son Georges took charge of the highly successful business and continued to grow it, with his efforts bearing abundant fruit. In 1896 he introduced the celebrated 'LV' monogram label that has graced their excellent products ever since. In 1925 the Vuitton brand gained the attention of another fashion legend, Gabriel Coco Chanel, who commissioned a custom handbag.

By the 1930s that bag was being mass produced, and heralded the start of the Vuitton brand's portable handheld luxury leather goods venture that would carry them on to further greatness. The voguish bags that were the results of Chanel's request now go by the appellation Alma, and are so popular that there is a black market industry dedicated to churning out cheap knock-offs of it and other popular Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories, so buyer beware, be sure you are purchasing the authentic item!

The next major event in the brand's storied history was in 1987 when Louis Vuitton merged with famed Champagne and cognac brands Moet et Chandon and Hennessy to form the conglomerate called LVMH. This alliance took the venerable French brand to even greater heights, establishing it as a leading fashion house that was adding shoes, jewellery, sunglasses, and perfumes to their parade of excellence. The Louis Vuitton brand which began with a humble trunk maker over a century ago has never been afraid to try new things, and has invariably excelled at them. 

Every item that carries the name is made with the highest attention to craft, detail, and quality, firmly ensconcing Louis Vuitton as Australia and the world's most valued and beloved luxury brand.