Chapter 1
The boy who walked to Paris
Chapter 2
Unpickable locks and secret trunks
Chapter 3
Speeding into the modern age
Chapter 4
The birth of global luxury pop art
YOUR GOAL
Master of The box maker who conquered the fashion world
Ch 1 · The boy who walked to Paris
louisvuitton Louis Vuitton's Walk to Paris
Young Louis walked three hundred miles to Paris, just to build the trunk that changed the world!
louisvuitton A flat-topped gray Trianon trunk featuring polished brass hardware and cognac leather trim
louisvuitton Stacked wooden travel trunks feature monogrammed canvas, cognac leather trim, and polished brass locks.
Fun Fact
Canvas waterproofing: Louis Vuitton used rye straw and flour paste to glue canvas to wood, making early trunks waterproof and surprisingly lightweight.
Glossary
apprentice (noun)
A person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer, having agreed to work for a fixed period at low wages. In 1837, young Louis Vuitton reached Paris, becoming an apprentice under box-maker Monsieur Maréchal.
A person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer, having agreed to work for a fixed period at low wages. In 1837, young Louis Vuitton reached Paris, becoming an apprentice under box-maker Monsieur Maréchal.
Quiz
In what year did Louis Vuitton open his very first independent workshop in Paris?
Quiz
What was the name of the waterproof gray canvas used on Louis Vuitton's first flat-topped trunk in 1858?
Quiz
What pattern did Louis Vuitton introduce in 1888 to prevent counterfeiters from copying his designs?
Quiz
What age was Louis Vuitton when he left his hometown of Anchay to walk to Paris?
Quiz
Which French royal appointed Louis Vuitton as her official personal trunk-packer in 1853?
Quiz
Why did traditional trunks have domed tops before Louis Vuitton invented the flat-topped trunk?
Quiz
What material did Louis Vuitton replace with waterproof canvas to make his trunks lighter?