A Journey of 292 Miles To Become a Legend
Who would have thought that the iconic, now listed as the top most- valuable luxury brand in fashion, back then was a poor rural village boy?
You know his brand very well. The name isLouis Vuitton. But before he became an emperor of luxury bags, he was a poor orphan left to the care of a foster family at an early age when his parents died. Born in 1821 in eastern France to a farmer- carpenter father and a milliner mother, Louis Vuitton must have never imagined the fate that lies ahead. His relationship with his adoptive mother was severe, so he decided to leave.
Paris was 292 miles away and he was only 13 years old. He walked away from his foster family on foot, taking odd jobs along the way to support himself while learning few skills that would become tantamount to the career waiting for him in the big city. Louis was able to reach Paris in two years.
When he reached the capital, Vuitton who was then 16 years old landed a job in a travel trunk- maker name Marechal where he worked for 17 years. His expertise and perfectionism of the craft made its way to the palace of Napoleon Bonaparte III whose wife- Eugenie de Montijo, hired him as her personal box-maker and packer; who later brought other wealthy clients his way; who became his patrons until the end of his career.
The Louis Vuitton label was founded in 1854 with its first store at Rue Neuve des Capucines in Paris, France. He started with 20 craftsmen, and it grew and grew, as he attracted more foreign parishioners, one of them a Japanese military personnel. He opened up to new markets outside the country and opened his first international outlet in London in 1885.
Louis Vuitton was a master craftsman whose genes for exclusivity passed on even after his death. During his lifetime, Louis fought hard to maintain his patent look. He successfully devised ways to preserve the identity of his brand from counterfeit products who tried to imitate him.
After his death, his son Georges, continued his legacy and the House of Vuitton gave birth to more iconic looks such as the monogram and patented an ingenious locking system that made it impossible to pick the lock of their trunks. This lock is still used today. Until today, Louis Vuitton bags quality and ingenuity are still unmatched.
He was a revolutionary designer who changed the way traveling used to be. He made the luggage easier to transport by re-imagining the shape and the weight, improving the way it looks that would fit the opulence of the palaces of the French imperial personalities.
To preserve their exclusivity, LV produce limited pieces only for the market. All LV outlets around the world are managed by the House of Louis Vuitton itself (meaning the company) to make sure that only authentic LV are sold. Plus, the high manufacturing cost makes LV so expensive. Another reason is that LV bags are waterproof and fireproof. They went through numerous durability test to ensure quality.
His brand became a favorite of icons themselves such as the actress Audrey Hepburn whom the Speedy was fashioned for, and Coco Chanel with Alma.
Nowadays, every girl would take pride clutching these timeless luxuries. This is why even if you buy a pre- loved Louis are still expensive because they don’t lose their value. Buying LV’s are tricky because only 1% sold in the market today are considered authentic, the rest are counterfeit. But how do you know you are buying a real LV?
There are stores that sells authentic pre- loved LV which are way cheaper than the brand new. Luxury Cheaper is one of the most reliable sources of these bags. They only sell authenticated, excellent condition, highly- curated pre- loved Louis Vuitton bags.
Another interesting fact to take note about an LV is that you can never buy a brand new at a discounted price!
Louis Vuitton was a visionary entrepreneur. He knew how to bring the brand through the test of time, through the ups and downs of fashion, to stands undeterred by the threats of antagonists of originality.
Another thing to remember of his life and brand’s success is also based on how treating clients, acquaintances, professionalism, originality and perfecting one’s craft can lead to bigger opportunities.
After all, opportunities are wasted in the absence of perseverance, determination, and a dream, as it did for Louis Vuitton whose journey of 292 miles to become a legend he is today, started with taking a step.
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Shop your favourite Louis Vuitton’s at LUXURY CHEAPER.
Originally published at http://modestfashiondesigners.com on January 31, 2021.
