A true rags-to-riches business success story
The most valuable luxury clothing company in the world is Louis Vuitton. Its CEO, Bernard Arnault, has a net worth of about $180 billion, making him the second-richest person on the planet. If you were to look at Louis Vuitton’s business and financial success today, you’d never guess that it was founded by a man who spent his teenage years sleeping in a forest, was unemployed, and had no formal education. A true rags-to-riches business success story is Louis Vuitton. However, the business would also be the focus of a hostile takeover, numerous lawsuits, and a number of other disputes. This is the crazy tale of Louis Vuitton, and how a small family company became one of the most influential brands in the world.
A homeless teen
image via augustman.com
On August 4, 1821, Louis Vuitton was born in Anchay, in the Jura region of eastern France. His mother, Corinne Gaillard, was a milliner, and his father, Xavier Vuitton, was a farmer. Up until the tragic accident that claimed his mother’s life when he was ten years old, he had a typical upbringing.
Soon after, his father got remarried, and his new spouse was a strict woman. Louis was a stubborn kid who struggled to get along with his stepmother. He was also growing more and more dissatisfied with the simple way of life in his little village. He planned to leave his house as a young child because he was ambitious. At the age of 13, he made the decision to relocate to Paris in order to seek his fortune there.
So, in the spring of 1835, he set out on foot and by himself without even saying goodbye. there was only one problem that pairs were 225 miles away and Louis had no money and no food so he was forced to sleep on dirty roads. most nights, he slept in the woods with an empty stomach and just a cloak to keep him warm. Everytime he ran into a new village, he would do odd jobs along the way to make ends meet. However there was never enough money left over for housing so he continued to sleep in the woods or wherever he could find shelter at night .through these various odd jobs, Louis was able to pick up skills from craftsmen, and he learned how to work with metal, stone, fabric,and wood .this collection of various skills would later transform his life. Although the journey to Paris was difficult, he bravely persisted.
In 1837, he traveled 292 miles from his hometown of Anchay to Paris and made it there. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing in Paris, and the city offered plenty of opportunities for him to advance professionally.
Achieving success
When he was 16 years old, he started working as an apprentice in Monsieur Marechal’s successful box-making and packing business. Louis was a gifted young man, and he naturally excelled at making boxes. In nineteenth-century Europe, box-making was regarded as a respectable craft, and he demonstrated that he was an expert at it.
Within a few years, his boxes became well-known among the fashionable and affluent classes, and he rose to prominence. His circumstances changed in 1853 when he was chosen to be the personal trunk maker for Empress Eugénie de Montijo, the wife of Napoleon III. In order to transport her clothing between the Tuileries Palace, the Château de Saint-Cloud, and numerous coastal resorts, he was tasked with doing so in an appealing manner.
The royal family was appreciative of his assistance because of his excellent performance in this role. Because of his position, he was able to entice wealthy and royal customers. He became a renowned box maker for the monarchy before deciding to launch his own company. He left Marechal’s shop in 1854 and started his own box-making and packing company in Paris. “Packs the most delicate items safely,” read a sign that was posted outside the store. One of their specialties is packing clothes.
His company was successful from the beginning, and it became much more well-known after Louis Vuitton introduced the world to his revolutionary stackable rectangle-shaped trunks in 1858.
Only trucks with rounded tops were available at the time, and his innovative design was more practical than the rounder ones. As a result, demand for his items increased dramatically.
He expanded his firm and constructed a larger workshop outside of Paris after the economic success of his rectangular-shaped trucks. His bags became so popular that he received personal orders from Egypt’s Khedive, Isma’il Pasha.
Starting over
During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-1871, his workshop was stolen and burned, putting an end to his company. He, ever the resilient character, did not allow this setback to deter him from pursuing his goals. After the war, he reopened his firm and opened a new studio in central Paris, where he once again won the hearts of his customers with his ingenious and fashionable boxes and bags.
Ingenious closing mechanisms created by Georges Vuitton in 1886 transformed travel trunks into true treasure chests and revolutionized luggage locks.
Travelers in the 1900s carried all of their necessities in flat trunks and wardrobes, which unfortunately frequently attracted thieves. Louis Vuitton, a master trunk maker, wanted to help his customers safeguard the items inside their travel trunks.
A single lock system with two spring buckles was adopted in 1886 by father and son Georges. After years of research and development, George patented this ground-breaking method. Harry Houdini, the legendary American escape artist, was challenged by George to break free from a Vuitton box and lock in a public newspaper because his method was so successful. Although Houdini couldn’t handle the challenge, the lock’s efficiency is undeniable. It is still used today.
To commemorate the iconic canvas that was developed more than a century ago, the Monogram, the brand commissioned six designers to produce original works.
Louis Vuitton invited select designers to create one-of-a-kind pieces of luggage in 1996 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Monogram canvas. The resulting collection was then displayed in major cities around the world, introducing fashion enthusiasts from all over the world to the brand’s innovative and collaborative spirit.
Outstanding Work
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Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist, and Louis Vuitton collaborated in 2012 to create the limited-edition Kusama Pumpkin Minnow Dier dual bag. The pumpkin-shaped bag is crafted from fine jewels, pure gold, and black resin. It was specifically influenced by the design of the compact evening bags that were preferred in the 1930s. And when this unique bag was sold for $133,400, it set a record for the most money ever paid for a Louis Vuitton bag.
He created the first pick-resistant locks in history. He debuted his ground-breaking rectangular canvas trunks in 1858, taking design cues from H J Cave and Sons of London. Later in 1872, he unveiled a new line with beige monogrammed patterns and red stripes that would become the symbol of his brand long after his passing.
Recent Update
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At the “Dream Now” Exhibition in May 2022, Louis Vuitton displayed 47 styles of custom Nike Air Force 1 X Louis Vuitton classic pattern shoes. The shoes were influenced by Virgil Abloh’s designs from 40 years ago for Louis Vuitton. While working on the Nike Air Force 1 and Louis Vuitton collaboration, Abloh passed away. He was battling cancer. Louis Vuitton has introduced these 47 pairs in his honor, and nine of them will be offered for sale and production. Low-top styles cost $2,750, while mid-top styles are $3,450.
Lesson to be learned
Louis Vuitton didn’t pursue his skill set by enrolling in a prestigious fashion design university. He discovered it on his own, making mistakes along the way and learning from them. He fled in order to make a change in his life and learn how to care for himself, and he succeeded. After he became an orphan, he was left helpless due to poverty, a lack of resources, and many other factors. But he never allowed any of it to stop him from moving forward.