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| About Louis Vuitton |
Louis Vuitton Malletier (IPA: /ˈluːi ˈvutɔ̃/), commonly referred to as Louis
Vuitton, or sometimes shortened to LV, is a French luxury fashion and leather
goods company. Founded in 1854, one of the main divisions of LVMH headquartered
in Paris, France. Known especially for bags and trunks, the company collaborates
with prominent figures for marketing and design (most notably supermodel Gisele
Bündchen and fashion designer Marc Jacobs). Internationally renowned and highly
regarded for name recognition in the fashion world, as a result LV has become
one of the most counterfeited contemporary luxury brands.
LV is also one of the oldest fashion houses in the world, having started in
1854. It sells its products strictly through its own retail stores, small
boutiques in high-end department stores, and online (as an effort against
counterfeit). It primarily competes with Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Armani, Prada
and similar luxury fashion brands.
History
In the mid 19th century, Louis Vuitton was a renowned trunks and luggage
retailer. Entering into the 20th century, the company expanded in terms of
locations and financial success. Beginning in the middle of the century, it
entered the fashion world, integrating its signature Monogram Canvas into purses
and bags. Its merger to create LVMH became a milestone step, and from then on,
LV came to acquire its luxury fashion image known today.
Prominent figures to have exclusively ordered Louis Vuitton luggage in history
include Congo explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who ordered a combined trunk
and bed from the company, and American conductor Leopold Stokowski (for his
travels), whose travelling secrétaire was designed by Gaston-Louis Vuitton.
Biography of Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton (born, August 4, 1821; died, February 27, 1892), future founder of
his eponymous company, was born in Jura, France (now part of the commune of
Lavans-sur-Valouse). In 1835, he moved to Paris. The trip from his hometown to
Paris was over 400 kilometers (249 mi), and he travelled the distance by foot.
On his way there, he picked up a series of odd jobs to pay for his journey.
There, he became an apprentice Layetier to prominent households. Because of his
well established reputation in his field, Napoleon III of France appointed
Vuitton as Layetier to his wife, Empress Eugénie de Montijo. Through his
experience with the French aristocracy, he developed expert knowledge of what
made a good travelling case. It was then that he began to design his own
luggage, setting the foundations for LV Co.
1854 through 1892
Louis Vuitton: Malletier à Paris was founded by Monsieur Vuitton in 1853 on Rue
Neuve des Capucines in Paris. In 1858, Monsieur Vuitton introduced his
flat-bottom trunks with trianon canvas (they were lightweight and airtight).
Before the introduction of Vuitton's trunks, rounded-top trunks were used,
generally to promote water run off, and thus could not be stacked. It was
Vuitton's gray Trianon canvas flat trunk that allowed the ability to stack for
ease with voyages. Becoming successful and prestigious, many other luggagemakers
began to imitate LV's style and design.
In 1867, the company participated in the universal exhibition in Paris. To
protect against the duplication of his look, he changed the Trianon design to a
beige and brown stripes design in 1876.By 1885, the company opened its first
store in London, England on Oxford Street. Soon thereafter, due to the
continuing imitation of his look, in 1888, the Damier Canvas pattern was created
by Louis Vuitton, bearing a logo that reads "marque L. Vuitton déposée," which
translates to "mark L. Vuitton deposited" or, roughly, "L. Vuitton trademark".
In 1892, Louis Vuitton died, and the company's management passed to his son.
1893 through 1936
After the death of his father, Georges Vuitton began a campaign to build the
company into a worldwide corporation, exhibiting the company's products at the
Chicago World's Fair in 1893. In 1896, the company launched the legendary
Monogram Canvas and made the worldwide patents on it. Its graphic symbols,
including quatrefoils and flowers (as well as the LV monogram), were based on
the trend of using Japanese and Oriental designs in the late Victorian era. The
patents later prove to be successful in stopping counterfeiting. In this same
year, Georges traveled to the United States, where he toured various cities
(such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago), selling Vuitton products during
the visit. In 1901, the Louis Vuitton Company introduced the Steamer Bag, a
smaller piece of luggage designed to be kept inside Vuitton luggage trunks.
By 1914, the Louis Vuitton Building opened on the Champs-Elysees. It was the
largest travel-goods store in the world at the time. Stores also opened in New
York, Bombay, Washington, London, Alexandria, and Buenos Aires as World War I
began. Afterwards, in 1930, the Keepall bag was introduced. During 1932, LV
introduced the Noé bag. This bag was originally made for champagne vintners to
transport bottles. Soon thereafter, the Louis Vuitton Speedy bag was introduced
(both are still manufactured today). In 1936 Georges Vuitton passed away, and,
his son, Gaston-Louis Vuitton, assumed control of the company.
1936 through 2000
During this period, the look of the leather was utilized in everything from
small purses and wallets to larger pieces of luggage. In order to broaden its
line, the company revamped its signature Monogram Canvas in 1959 to make it more
supple, allowing it to be used for purses, bags, and wallets. Audrey Hepburn is
seen carrying the bag in the film Charade (1963). It is believed that in the
1960s, counterfeiting returned as a greater issue to continue on into the 21st
century. In 1966, the Papillon was launched (a cylindrical bag that is still
popular today). By 1977, LV owned two stores, with annual revenue up to 70
million Francs ($10 million USD). A year later (1978), it opened the first
stores in Japan (in Tokyo and Osaka). In 1983, the company joined with America's
Cup to form the Louis Vuitton Cup, a preliminary competition (known as an
eliminatory regatta) for the yacht race. Louis Vuitton later expanded its
presence in Asia with the opening of a store in Taipei, Taiwan in 1983 and
Seoul, South Korea in 1984. In the following year (1985), the Epi leather line
is introduced.
1987 witnessed the creation of LVMH. Moët et Chandon and Hennessy, leading
manufacturers of champagne and brandy, (respectively) merged with Louis Vuitton
to form the luxury goods conglomerate. Profits for 1988 are reported to be up by
49% more than in 1987. By 1989, Louis Vuitton came to operate 130 stores
worldwide. Entering the 1990s, Yves Carcelle was proclaimed president of LV, and
in 1992, his brand opened its first Chinese location at the Palace Hotel in
Beijing. Further more introduced products became the Taiga leather line (1993)
and the literature collection of Voyager Avec... (1994). In 1996, the
celebration of the Centennial of the Monogram Cavas was held in seven cities
worldwide.
After introducing its pen collection (1997), Louis Vuitton made Marc Jacobs
along side Jae its Art Directors (1998). In March of the following year, they
designed and introduced the company's first prêt-à-porter line of clothing for
men and women. Also in this year, the Monogram Vernis line, the LV scrapbooks,
and the Louis Vuitton City Guide were launched. 1300 km from Dalian to Beijing,
the first rally in China is held ("China Run") as well. The last events in the
20th century were the release of the mini monogram line (1999), the opening of
the first store in Africa in Marrakech, Morocco (2000), and finally the auction
at the International Film Festival in Venice, Italy were the vanity case "amfAR"
designed by Sharon Stone is sold with proceeds going to The Foundation for AIDS
Research (also in 2000).
2001 to present day
The store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.By 2001, Stephen Sprouse, in collaboration
with Marc Jacobs, designed a limited-edition line of Vuitton bags that feature
graffiti written over the monogram pattern. The graffiti reads Louis Vuitton and
as well, on certain bags, the name of the bag (such as Keepall and Speedy).
Certain pieces, which feature the graffiti without the Monogram Canvas
background, are created and only available to the customers on Vuitton's V.I.P.
customer list. Jacobs also creates the charm bracelet, the first ever piece of
jewelry from LV, within the same year.
In the year of 2002, the Tambour watch collection was introduced.During this
year as well, the LV building in Tokyo is opened, and the brand collaborates
with Bob Wilson for its Christmas windows sceneography. In 2003, Takashi
Murakami, in collaboration with Marc Jacobs, masterminded the new Monogram
Multicolore canvas range of handbags and accessories. This range includes the
monograms of the standard Monogram Canvas, but in 33 different colors on either
a white or black background. (The classic canvas features gold monograms on a
brown background.) Murakami also created the Cherry Blossom pattern, in which
smiling cartoon faces in the middle of pink and yellow flowers are sporadically
placed atop the Monogram Canvas. This pattern appeared on a limited number of
pieces. The production of this limited-edition run was discontinued in June
2003. Within 2003, the stores in Moscow, Russia and in New Delhi, India are
opened. The Utah and Suhali leather lines are released, and the 20th anniversary
of the LV Cup is held as well.
Louis Vuitton celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004 worldwide. In this year,
the brand inaugurated stores in New York City (on Fifth Avenue), São Paulo and
Johannesburg. It also opened its first global store in Shanghai. By 2005, Louis
Vuitton reopened its Champs-Élysées store (reputed to be the largest LV store in
the world), and release the Speedy watch collection. In 2006, LV held the
inauguration of the Espace Louis Vuitton on its 7th floor.
Advertising campaigns
Louis Vuitton store in HoustonThe Louis Vuitton company carefully cultivates
a celebrity following and has used famous models and actresses in its marketing
campaigns. Breaking from their usual traditions of employing supermodels and
celebrities to advertise their products, on August 2, 2007, the company
announced that the former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev would appear in an ad
campaign along with Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, and Catherine Deneuve.
The company commonly uses print ads in magazines and billboards in cosmopolitan
cities. It previously relied on selected press for its advertising campaigns
(frequently involving prestigious stars like Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Gisele
Bündchen and Catherine Deneuve) shot by Annie Leibovitz. However, Antoine
Arnault, director of the communication department, has recently decided to enter
the world of television and cinema: The commercial (90 seconds) is exploring the
theme "Where will life take you?" and is translated into 13 different languages.
This is the first Vuitton commercial ad ever and was directed by renowned French
director Bruno Aveillan.
Merchandise
Since the 19th century, manufacture of Louis Vuitton goods have not changed:
Luggage is still made by hand. Contemporary Fashion (edited by Richard Martin)
gives a preview of the creation of the LV trunks: "the craftsmen line up the
leather and canvas, tapping in the tiny nails one by one and securing the
five-letter solid pick-proof brass locks with an individual handmade key,
designed to allow the traveler to have only one key for all of his or her
luggage. The woven frames of each trunk are made of 30-year-old poplar that has
been allowed to dry for at least four years. Each trunk has a serial number and
can take up to 60 hours to make, and a suitcase as many as 15 hours."
The company manufactures and markets luxury leather goods, fashion accessories,
prêt-à-porter, and jewelry. Many of the company's products utilize the signature
brown Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, both of which were first used in the
late 19th century. All of the company's products exhibit the eponymous LV
initials. The company markets its product through its own stores throughout the
world, which allows it to control product quality and pricing. It also allows LV
to prevent counterfeit products entering its distribution channels. Louis
Vuitton has no discount sales nor any duty-free stores. In addition, the company
distributes its products through a single online retailer, eluxury.com.
Counterfeiting
The brand is highly counterfeited, and just over 1% of the items bearing the
trademark monogram are authentic.[citation needed] Ironically, the signature
Monogram Canvas was created to prevent counterfeiting. In 2004, Louis Vuitton
fakes accounted for 18% of counterfeit accessories seized in the European Union.
The brand has always been a target of counterfeit (since its establishment) due
to the goods' rather prestigious state.
LV takes a serious view of all counterfeiting, employing a team of lawyers and
special investigation agencies, actively pursuing offenders through the courts
worldwide, and allocating about half of its budget of communications to
counteract piracy of its goods. LVMH (Vuitton's parent company) further
confirmed this by stating that "some 60 people at various levels of
responsibility working full time on anti-counterfeiting in collaboration with a
wide network of outside investigators and a team of lawyers." In a further
effort, the company closely controls the distribution of its products. Until the
1980s, Vuitton products were widely sold in department stores (e.g. Neiman
Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue). Today, Vuitton products are primarily available
at authentic Louis Vuitton boutiques, with a small number of exceptions. These
boutiques are commonly found in upscale shopping districts or, less commonly,
inside ultra high-end department stores. The boutiques within department stores
operate independently from the department and have their own LV managers and
employees. LV has recently launched an online store, through its main website,
as an authorized channel to market its products.
Controversy and disputes
The French book Louis Vuitton, A French Saga (authored by French journalist
Stephanie Bonvicini and published by Paris-based Editions Fayard) tells how
members of the Vuitton family actively aided the puppet government led by
Marshal Philippe Pétain, increasing their wealth from their business affairs
with the Nazis. The family set up a factory dedicated to producing artifacts
glorifying Pétain, including more than 2,500 busts. Petain's Vichy regime was
responsible for the deportation of French Jews to German concentration camps.
Caroline Babulle, a spokeswoman for the publisher (Fayard) said, "They [Louis
Vuitton Co.] have not contested anything in the book, but they are trying to
bury it by pretending it doesn't exist." Responding to the book's release in
2004, a spokesman for LVMH stated that "this is ancient history...The book
covers a period when it was family-run and long before it became part of LVMH.
We are diverse, tolerant and all the things a modern company should be." Another
LVMH spokesman told the satirical magazine, Le Canard Enchainé, that "We don't
deny the facts, but regrettably the author has exaggerated the Vichy episode,".
That publication was the only French periodical to mention the book.
Louis Vuitton vs. Britney Spears video
On November 19, 2007 Louis Vuitton, in further efforts to prevent
counterfeiting, successfully sued Britney Spears for violating counterfeiting
laws. In a music video for the song "Do Somethin'" it shows fingers tapping on
the dashboard of a hot pink Hummer with what looks like Louis Vuitton's "Cherry
Blossom" design bearing the LV logo. Britney Spears herself was not found
guilty, but a civil court in Paris has ordered Sony BMG and MTV Online to stop
showing the video. They were also fined €80,000 to each group. An anonymous
spokesperson for LVMH stated that the video constituted an "attack" on Louis
Vuitton's brands and its luxury image.
Louis Vuitton vs. Darfur Charity
On February 13, 2008 Louis Vuitton sent a Cease and Desist order to artist Nadia
Plesner for the "reproduction" of a bag that infringes Louis Vuitton's
Intellectual Property Rights. The reproduction referred to is a satirical
illustration that depicts a malnutritioned child holding a designer dog and a
designer bag. The illustration features on T-shirts and posters, with all
profits going to the charity "Divest for Darfur". The artist defended her
"Simple Living" campaign and her right to artist freedom in a written response
to Louis Vuitton on February 27, 2008, calling attention to the lack of the
famous monogram, further asserting that the illustration refers to 'designer
bags' in general, with no specific mention of the Louis Vuitton brand in either
the illustration or any associated campaign material. On April 15, 2008, Louis
Vuitton notified Ms Plesner of the lawsuit being brought against her. It has
been reported that Louis Vuitton is demanding $7,500 (5,000 Euro) for each day
Ms Plesner continues to sell the Simple Living products, $7,500 for each day the
original Cease and Desist letter is published on her website and $7,500 a day
for using the name "Louis Vuitton" on her website. In addition, it is alleged
that Louis Vuitton is demanding that the artist pays LV's legal costs, including
$15,000 to cover additional expenses the company has incurred in protecting
their intellectual property rights. Although the outcome of this lawsuit
is yet unknown, the images of Louis Vuitton have now been removed from Ms.
Plesners website.
New York Magazine has reported that Louis Vuitton actually tried to stop the
case from going to court, but that Plesner did not cooperate. Plesner initially
intended to donate 30 percent of the surplus. Only later when the case got media
attention, did she pledge to donate 100 % of the surplus.
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