Louis Vuitton

Uma Thurman with Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton, a trunk-maker in Paris, since 1854, became a legend in the art of travel by creating designer luggage, designer handbags and accessories with the LV signature grey Trianon canvas. The Louis Vuitton company went on to become one of the world's most famous makers of luxury goods, particularly known for its designer luggage pattern - the beige-on-chestnut monogram "LV" design logo.

Thanks in part to a bronze medal at the 1867 World's Fair and a gold medal at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, the Vuitton name brand gained international recognition. After Louis died in 1892, it was his son, Georges, who took the company to new heights when he created the first designer label on a product (the distinctive "LV" monogram).

Today, the Louis Vuitton Company has expanded its luxury product line to include travel books, perfume, spirits, shoes, designer clothing and more. Louis Vuitton handbags became a subsidiary of LVMH group in 1987, a global corporation that deals in luxury products. In 1998, prominent designer Marc Jacobs joined the firm as Artistic Director.