The story of the legendary Louis Vuitton brand began in Paris in 1854, where the founder of the company, after whom it was named, opened the first workshop. “Securely packs the most fragile items. Specializes in fashion packaging,” read the inscription on the door to the atelier on Rue des Capucines.
Meaning and history
Already in 1858, he produced the Trianon Trunk, the first suitcase with a frame made of poplar wood and canvas with special waterproof impregnation.
Vuitton’s atelier immediately gained many admirers, including in noble circles. The most influential ambassador of Louis’ suitcases was the wife of Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie.
Louis spent his last years working with his son Georges, who took over the management of the brand when his father passed away in 1892. After his father’s death, Georges’ priority was to memorialize him and at the same time protect the business from numerous counterfeits. The logo, which appeared in 1896, was intended to accomplish both of these tasks: the crossed initials of the LV founder and three floral motifs. All of these symbols are still used by the iconic brand today.
In 1901 Louis Vuitton brand offered its first bag, the Steamer. It was free, as came with the Trianon chest. Its purpose was as a bag for laundry when traveling. Then the bag evolved and is now used as a regular one.
In 1934, Coco Chanel made a significant contribution to the history of Louis Vuitton. They asked the atelier to create a bag for her. This is how the Squire model appeared, which in 1955 turned into the Champs-Élysées bag and in 1992 into the classic Alma model.
In 1936, Georges Vuitton died and the business was taken over by his son, Gaston-Louis Vuitton. The brand brought out a huge number of iconic handbag models.
Since 1970, after the death of Gaston-Louis, his son-in-law Henri Racamier took over the management of the company. He did not make a revolution in terms of design, but significantly expanded the international presence of the brand, opening stores in all world capitals.
In 1987, Louis Vuitton merged with French luxury company Moët-Hennessy to form LVMH, one of the two most influential fashion conglomerates in the world.
What is Louis Vuitton?
Louis Vuitton is one of the world’s most prestigious and well-known manufacturers of luxury fashion clothing, accessories, and leather goods. Louis Vuitton is now part of the LVMH concern, which also includes such famous brands as Dior, Fendi, and Marc Jacobs.
In terms of visual identity, the legendary brand is all about its roots and heritage. The company still uses the recognizable symbols, created at the end of the 19th century, even though the iconic LV monogram today is accompanied by a modern uppercase inscription, representing the progress of the brand and its timelessness.
1896 — Today
The primary logo, designed for the LV brand in 1896 by Georges Vuitton, the son of the brand’s founder, throughout the years has become a symbol of luxury fashion and high class. While creating it, George got his inspiration from the image of a four-leaf clover on the ceramic tiles in his mansion. By adding the initials LV to this pattern, he created a unique mark.
Today, the official logo of the brand is the LV symbol. These are the initials of the founder, Louis Vuitton. The company name is also written below the symbol, in a more modern style, with clean, thin lines.
Font and color
The uppercase lettering under the elegant and bold Louis Vuitton monogram is set in a medium-weight geometric sans-serif typeface with straight cuts of the lines and distinctive contours of the characters. The closest fonts to the one, used in this insignia, are Futura Pro Medium, or YD Yoonche Light, with some minor modifications.
As for the color palette of the Louis Vuitton visual identity, the primary logo is set in plain black, but depending on the placement, the brand can also use a deep chocolate shade of brown, cream shades, or gold.
Symbol
Since 1896, the Louis Vuitton House Symbol has been the monogrammed fabric, where a recognizable monogram can be combined with the brand’s graphic emblem. Nowadays, there are several options for monogrammed fabric: the most famous one is colorful, fancy, and avant-garde in 33 colors, as well as in patent leather and denim.
