Louis Vuitton: Our view ...

Louis Vuitton is an iconic brand with a history to match. Sometimes dismissed as show-offy or old-fashioned, LV shows time and time again that they are totally in tune with what’s happening in fashion and style. Here’s our homage to the brand.

Louis Vuitton

Founded in Paris in 1854 by Louis Vuitton himself, it all started with what is still its most revered product group – suitcases and travel trunks. The cases Vuitton produced used lightweight materials like canvas, had angular shapes – and thus could be stacked easily. Hard to believe these days, but that was regarded as an absolute innovation at the time!

Creative from the Start

Another milestone for the brand came in 1896 with the patenting of their signature Monogram Canvas. Based on the Victorian trend of using Japanese Mon designs, its graphic symbols – the quatrefoils, flowers and of course the LV monogram – were crucial in creating awareness and – again, hard to believe these days – stopping counterfeiting.

Within the next century, the company would rise to an unparalleled status within the luxury world. But what was once innovative became a standard over time and was regarded as old news at some point. At the end of the 1990s, Louis Vuitton finally got some fresh blood on board by hiring the designer Marc Jacobs as the new Creative Director for the brand.

source, shutter stock

Cooperation is Key

As a New York City native, Jacobs brought a fresh new spirit to the honorable brand – young, hedonist, flashy even – by introducing a ready-to-wear clothing line. Even more impact had his working with many popular faces from the worlds of entertainment, design and the arts, most notably Stephen Sprouse, Cindy Sherman or Takashi Murakami.

Louis Vuitton Collaborates With Artist Stephen Sprouse

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Collaborates With Artist Yayoi Kusama – Manhattan Flagship Store Facade and Window Displays On Fifth Avenue Go Polka Dots, source nyclovesnyc.com

The collaborative spirit was enhanced by taking on Kim Jones as Style Director in 2011. Joining forces with streetwear brands like Fragment or Supreme made the old Parisian maison an international powerhouse ahead of its time, known and respected from blue-blooded old-money types to the jet-setting rappers, DJs and sports pros “du jour”.

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton
source, shutter stock

Foundation Louis Vuitton Paris, source, shutter stock

Louis Vuitton Nescar inspired Race bag, source, shutter stock

A Source of Inspiration

These days, Luis Vuitton has more to offer than bags with monogram patterns – with its stores, limited editions, shows and activities, the brand has become a leading force in fashion, design and style. We absolutely recommend seeing the exhibition “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez” if you get the chance – it’s an impressive display of the brand’s vast world.

For us here at Bulang and Sons, LV serves as a constant source of inspiration. By constantly evolving without ever breaking from its own tradition of craftsmanship and quality, the brand has stayed relevant and true. This very much speaks to our ethos, and that is why we have added a few Louis Vuitton products to our portfolio over time.

Tradition and Innovation

Louis Vuitton produces items that are meant to be used – that’s why we instantly fell for and subsequently sold patinated LV keep-all bags with their rugged look. The next step was to take vintage LV briefcases and make them into one-of-a-kind watch boxes, even adding camouflage materials for what we like to call our own kind of “pleasant friction”.

Now offering, some innovative Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton themselves have come out with an innovative waterproof keep-all bag lately that features laminated seams and zippers – a perfect mix of the old and the new. Now Bulang and Sons is offering this and some more customized and innovative Louis Vuitton products in our own store, along with a stunning coffee table book about the brand.