If you are looking for the full written biography Louis Vuitton may I suggest you read the Louis Vuitton history pages covering the 3 centuries of their trading.

The timeline detailed below here is purely that, a skim through the biography Louis Vuitton, it's history and a mental / visual indicator of what happened and when!

 

Biography Louis Vuitton - 19th Century

1821

4th August - Louis Vuiton born - Anchay, Jura.

1835

Left to go to Paris aged fourteen.

1837

Arrived in Paris(!) having learnt wood working along the way.

Started work with Monsieur Marechal making trunks.

1854

Married Emilie Clemence Pariaux aged thirty three.

Opened first workshop making trunks.

First trunk covering, "Gris Trianon" shown.

1857

Son Georges Vuitton born.

1860

Business - now comprising three elements of Trunk, Luggage and manufacturing shop - moves to Asnieres.

1867

Louis Vuitton wins Bronze Medal at World Fair in Paris for his trunks.

1871

Business moves again to Jockey Club, Number 1 Rue Scribe.

Travel goods displayed for first time.

1875

Louis Vuitton made first 'Trunk Bed' for Pierre de Savorgnan de Brazza for his expedition to the Congo.

1880

Goerges Vuitton marries Josephine Patrelle.

Running of Rue Scribe store passed by Louis Vuitton to Georges on their wedding day.

1883

Georges's first son Gaston-Louis born.

1885

First London store opens.

1889

Due to copying of original striped covering on their trunks, Louis & Georges introduced the "Damier" design with the first "Marque L.Vuitton deposee" (registered trademark).

Louis Vuitton wins Gold Medal at the World Fair in Paris.

1892

First catalog published, showing trunks covered in leather or the Damier Canvas, Watertight trunks, trunk beds, five barrel locks, handbags, half soft bags.

First showing of soft bags made from canvas.

Louis Vuitton dies at family home in Asnieres during the night of February 27th.

Georges takes full control of the company.

1893

Louis Vuitton's first showing in the United States at the Chicago Fair.

1894

Georges publishes his book that took two years to write, "Le Voyage" (The Journey).

Honored with title 'Officier del'Academie'.

1896

Monogram Canvas was 'born'.

1899

Louis Vuitton exhibits at the first ever Paris Motor Show.

 

 

Biography Louis Vuitton - 20th Century1900

Georges Vuitton responsible for organising the "Travel items and Leather Goods" section of the Paris World Fair.

100th employee hired.

1904

Georges Vuitton chairs the jury for the World Fair of Saint Louis.

Excelsior Trunk, Ideale Trunk introduced.

First trunks shown that were designed for carrying specific items with individual compartments, such as hats, shoes, perfumes etc.

1906

Gaston-Louis marries Renee Versille aged 23.

Louis Vuitton Automobile trunk range introduced.

1914

New Champs Elysees store opens. At the time it is the largest floor space dedicated to travel goods.

Store locations now world wide with cities such as London, New York, Washington, Bombay, Alexandria and Buenos Aires.

First World War begins.

1918

First World War ends.

1925

Louis Vuitton Keepall introduced to range, first ever travelling bag made entirely from canvas.

1929

Milestone of the company passes with the introduction of a toiletries case built especially for the opera singer Marthe Chenal capable of holding a variety of items such as bottles, powder boxes, brushes, mirrors and manicure accessories in seperate, sized compartments.

1931

Louis Vuitton exhibits a range of exotic bags made from items such as crocodile skin, toadskin and elephant hide for the Colonial Exhibition.

1933

Louis Vuitton Speedy introduced.

1936

Georges Vuitton dies October 25th.

Candid estimates attribute Georges with introducing over 700 new designs to the Vuitton range.

Gaston-Louis Vuitton assumes control of Louis Vuitton.

Creates a Louis Vuitton classic with the Secretary Trunk forthe conductor Leopold Stokowski, a virtual travelling office in a trunk.

1939

World War Two starts.

1945

World War Two ends.

1946

With rationing and shortages everywhere, Louis Vuitton turns to manufacturing for other industries to avoid laying off workers.

1951

Louis Vuitton supplies all the trunks and travel items for President Auriol's tour of America, symbolising their return to prosperity times.

1959

Innovations in the treatment of canvas now allows Louis Vuitton to release a full range of soft Monogram Canvas bags.

Between 1959 and 1965 25 new models of travel item was intorduced by the company every year, a total of 175 new, innovative products.

1968

First sales office opens in Tokyo, Japan.

1969

Gaston-Louis Vuitton dies.

1977

Louis Vuitton SA holding company created.

1978

Tokyo and Osaka stores open, ten years after the first sales office was created.

1983

Louis Vuitton teams up with the Americas Cup to begin the Louis Vuitton Cup for Sailing. (The Louis Vuitton Cup is competed for in the elimination rounds. The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup then goes on to challenge the last years winner and current holder of the Americas Cup.)

1985

Louis Vuitton launches the Epi Leather range.

1987

Louis Vuitton and Moet-Hennessy merge to form the LVMH Group.

1988

Louis Vuitton Classic Annual Automobile Race launched in Paris.

1993

Louis Vuitton launches the Taiga line for businessmen.

1996

Centenary celebrations of the Monogram Canvas sees seven world famous designers rework their style on the design.

Limited editions released of the works of Vivienne Westwood, Azzedine Alaia, Sybilla, Manolo Blahnik, Isaac Mizrahi, Helumt Lang and Romeo Gigli.

1998

Louis Vuitton launches range of Travel Books, covering guides to the worlds major cities.

Marc Jacobs joins Louis Vuitton.

First Pret-a-Porter range launched.

Monogram Vernis Line launched, closely followed by Monogram Mini, Danier Sauvage and Monogram Glace.

 

 

 

Biography Louis Vuitton - 21st Century

2001

Marc Jacobs & Stephen Sprouse create the Graffiti range as a limited edition.

Louis Vuitton Charm Bracelet launched.

2002

Louis Vuitton Tambour watch range launches.

2003

Takashi Murakami & Marc Jacobs launch the Cherry Blossom Limited Edition, Multicolore and Eye Love ranges.

The new Suhali range of goatskin leather bags is launched.

2004

The 'Sac' range is unveiled at the Paris Fashion Show. Combining elements of exotic leathers and nostalgic patterns on the interior the Sac range, although pricey, reaffirms the LV travelling heritage.

The "Theda" style bag is released. Quickly becomes one of the most 'faked' items copied.

2005

Louis Vuitton proudly release the new Murakami collection entitled Cerises. A range of bags such as the bucket, speedy and Sac plat in Monogram Classic with cherries added in one's or twos.