louis vuitton
...rentice packer and trunk-maker. He was sent to the houses of rich women to pack their clothes for them. (Kun) When Napoleon III’s court left Paris, Louis was called in to pack for the Empress Eugenie and her ladies in waiting. In 1854 Louis Vuitton opened his own luggage shop at N°4 Rue Neuve des Capucines. (Kun). As transcontinental railroads were built, the need for luggage increased. Not only did the rich and royal people of France wanted luggage, they wanted the very best luggage, which inspired Louis to make a better model with each new design. By 1875 Louis was making luggage for King Alfonso XII of Spain, the Sultan of Egypt, and the Grand Duke Nicolas, future Czar of all the Russias. (Kun) In 1885, Vuitton opened his first store abroad, in London. And by 1889, At the Paris Universal Exhibition, where the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated, Louis Vuitton was awarded a gold medal for his new designs. After his death in 1892, Louis’ son, Georges Vuitton took over his father’s business. (Wayne) Aristocratic travelers all across Europe were ordering very elaborate luggage, with hanging compartments and trays for linens, shoes, sunshades or straw hats. By 1914 Georges Vuitton had made his father’s business even more of a suc...