Louis Vuitton or LV is actually just a brand, and its real carrier is the luxury goods group LVMH. This is currently the largest and most important luxury goods company in the world. Moreover, the changes in the LVMH Group itself are almost the changes in the luxury goods industry itself. Therefore, we will start with the earliest birth of LV, and then we will talk about how this brand became one of the most important brands in the luxury goods industry today, and formed a giant conglomerate such as LVMH.

The birth of Louis Vuitton’s first store

The LV we are now familiar with was founded in 1854. Its founder is Louis Vuitton. Of course, he was just a poor boy from a carpenter family at first.

At that time, Louis Vuitton's father ran a carpentry workshop. Influenced by his father, he learned how to process wood since he was a child. However, despite his ordinary background, Louis Vuitton's curiosity is not inferior to anyone else's. When he was very young, he came up with the idea of ??going outside to see. So, when he was 14 years old, Louis Vuitton decided to leave home and go to Paris, 400 kilometers away. You know, it was an era without cars and trains, and Louis Vuitton didn't have much money, so he would stop when he encountered a restaurant or a horse stable and earn some traveling expenses by working. Finally, he walked these 400 kilometers for a year and finally arrived in Paris.

In order to fill his stomach in Paris, Louis Vuitton found a job in a luggage store. It was this first job that completely changed his life.

At that time, luggage stores in Paris not only sold bags, but also provided various other services. For example, one of their jobs was to help princes and nobles pack their luggage for travel. This job may sound weird now, but it was very necessary at the time. Because the daily attire of ladies at that time was very complicated, such as corsets, tutu skirts, silk and other fabrics, as well as clothes of different sizes and applications, so packing when traveling was very troublesome.

Although this service is just an additional service for luggage stores, Louis Vuitton does it very seriously. The luggage is organized in order and the clothes will not be wrinkled or damaged. As a result, his craft quickly spread throughout Paris's upper class circles.

Later, the news reached the palace. At that time, Empress Oudeni of Napoleon III valued his talents very much and decided to appoint him as the royal bundler. She stayed in the palace to take care of the queen's luggage. After that, Louis Vuitton did better and better, and Queen Ujeni offered to help Louis Vuitton open a store.

So, in 1854, 33-year-old Louis Vuitton, 19 years after leaving home, had a luggage store named after himself. It can be said that from the village in his hometown to the Royal Palace in Paris, from a carpenter's child to a royal bundler, from working for others to opening his own store, Louis Vuitton's 19-year journey was just like this, step by step.

Of course, if Louis Vuitton was content with just one small store, we wouldn’t have such a great brand.

So what did Louis Vuitton do at that time? If you want to grasp the essence of the Louis Vuitton brand, you must know the two important characteristics of LV at the beginning of its birth: technological innovation and travel spirit.

LV core concept one: process innovation

At that time, in 1854, the first industrial revolution that emerged in Britain had been basically completed in France, and the entire society was vigorously developing capitalism. , people became keen on consumption. Moreover, the steam revolution brought trains, which were a very new and advanced thing, so the French aristocracy was most interested in traveling by train.

However, the old suitcases at that time were very unsuitable for taking on trains because most of the trunks at that time were domed, mainly to allow rainwater to fall down more easily. But this kind of domed suitcase is very difficult to carry and cannot be stacked on top of each other.

Louis Vuitton discovered this very keenly, so he used his craftsmanship to make the world's first flat-top box. Moreover, Louis Vuitton also took note of the show-off needs and spending power of the princes and nobles, and used high-quality wood when making the boxes, as well as various decorative and waterproof materials. This is LV's famous flat-top poplar luggage that laid the foundation for the company's history. It is both strong and beautiful.

This suitcase was well-known as soon as it was launched, and quickly became the first choice for aristocrats in French upper class society. In less than ten years, the products produced by "LV Louis Vuitton" have spread throughout the European royal families. Later, even the Russian Crown Prince, the King of Spain, etc. ordered suitcases from him.

After that, Louis Vuitton integrated this gene of craftsmanship innovation into its brand history.

For example, Louis Vuitton launched a wardrobe suitcase in 1875. It was equipped with hangers and drawers, which could prevent clothes from wrinkles, and it was very popular. In 1878, LV launched a folding bed suitcase, which can be transformed into a small bed when opened. This was specially designed and made for the Congolese explorer Pierre, and it was also at the forefront of the trend.

In 1890, Louis Vuitton's son George Vuitton began to take over the family business. He invented LV's later famous special lock, which was used in all luggage produced by LV. design. Moreover, one key can open all Louis Vuitton suitcases owned by customers, eliminating the trouble of travelers having to tie a lot of keys to their pants.

In 1896, he printed the famous "LV" trademark on canvas, which is the design of the two LV letters you are most familiar with overlapping each other. From then on, Louis Vuitton truly began to enter people's minds as a brand symbol.

This is the gene of LV craftsmanship innovation that has been passed down to this day. From here, we can see two things:

First of all, the birth of LV is very consistent with our overall logic of advanced luxury goods. It places great emphasis on craftsmanship and materials, serves only a small group of people, has class labels and is sociable, and its influence radiates from top to bottom.

In addition, LV’s suitcase once again verifies the logic of product development we have mentioned before. A good product must initially target the very specific needs of a very vertical group of people, and then achieve the ultimate goal. Then slowly acquire users outside the circle. In essence, whether it is an Internet product or a luxury brand, the principles are similar. Of course, the basis of all this also lies in Louis Vuitton's very simple and serious craftsmanship spirit.

LV core concept 2: Travel spirit

Many people may not be familiar with it. In LV's brand concept, the concept of "travel" is supreme. It can be said that since the first flat-top wooden box, LV has been building its entire product philosophy around the word "travel".

Some people even say that the development history of LV is the history of changes in transportation. In fact, it is not an exaggeration at all. For example:

The 1858 flat-top suitcase we just introduced was designed for the era of carriages and trains;

In 1901, LV launched the rectangular "Steamer Bag" ", in order to meet the needs of travelers taking steamships;

In 1924, LV designed the Keepall multi-purpose bag, which was like a pillow and became the originator of the long pillow-shaped modern luggage. This kind of bag can be suitable for short-distance passengers traveling by car. The bag is relatively lightweight, and one bag can meet multiple functions;

In 1931, Louis Vuitton’s grandson designed various cabins Suitcases, cutlery boxes and LV Speedy Bags are designed so that passengers on the plane can carry their luggage according to different needs.

LV has a customized service, which aims to meet the various requirements of customers as much as possible. This service has lasted for 150 years.

However, in order to fully adhere to the brand's "travel spirit", LV's service still adheres to the principle of not customizing anything that cannot be taken out for travel. If you want to customize tennis rackets, golf equipment, or even playing cards, chopsticks, and mahjong, it's no problem as long as they can be carried around, but not for furniture that cannot be taken out like home furniture.

Now you can still see many advertisements and promotions of LV, all related to travel. The next time you see it, you will definitely be reminded of LV’s “travel DNA”.

From its founding in 1854 to the 1920s and 1930s, LV experienced a development period of continuous innovation and increasing popularity. However, they were about to usher in a trough. When it was at its lowest point, other new brands began to emerge, bringing a new trend to the luxury goods industry and the fashion industry.