Chapter 1
When letters ruled the ancient world
Chapter 2
The artist leaves their mark
Chapter 3
Monograms go to work in the machine age
Chapter 4
The modern repeating canvas
Ch 3 · Monograms go to work in the machine age
louisvuitton Victorian Wax Seal Etiquette
Blue for love, black for grief—(oh, tell me what you feel!) / Chocolate brown for a dinner feast—(yeah, seal it for real!)
louisvuitton The repeating pattern of interlocking initials, flowers, and geometric shapes drew inspiration from Art Nouveau and Japanese kamon in Paris.
Quiz
What cultural design movement inspired the floral and geometric motifs in the Louis Vuitton monogram?
Fun Fact
Hidden origins: The Yankees' famous interlocking "NY" logo was born as a police medal of valor before ever appearing on a baseball cap.
louisvuitton Orphanage windows inspired the clean, repeating geometry of Chanel's famous monogram.
Quiz
On which famous product did Coco Chanel first introduce her interlocking double-C monogram?
Quiz
What childhood location is rumored to have inspired Coco Chanel's interlocking double-C design?
Glossary
monogram (noun)
A design composed of two or more letters, typically initials, interwoven or combined. In 1897, Georges Vuitton patented his famous floral initials to protect his family's luggage from counterfeiting.
A design composed of two or more letters, typically initials, interwoven or combined. In 1897, Georges Vuitton patented his famous floral initials to protect his family's luggage from counterfeiting.
Quiz
What was the original purpose of the interlocking NY monogram designed in 1877?
Quiz
Which luxury jewelry company originally designed the interlocking NY monogram used by the Yankees?
Quiz
In Victorian letter-writing etiquette, what did a poorly stamped monogram wax seal indicate?
Quiz
What tool did Victorian writers use to stamp their personal monograms into hot letter wax?