The craftsman opened a humble workshop on rue Neuve des Capucines and advertised his services with a small poster that read: “Securely packs the most fragile objects. In 1854, Vuitton launched his namesake company. He toiled as a box maker and packer for more than a decade and built relationships with royals and members of the upper class while working for the empress of France, Eugenie de Montijo. When he arrived in Paris, Vuitton made a living with his hands.

With stops along the way to make money so that he could forge ahead, the journey took a couple of years, but reward was close at hand. The young Vuitton was 13 at the time and would need to travel on foot to get to the capital, which was hundreds of miles away.

The company’s modest origins can be traced back to when its founder, Louis Vuitton (1821–92), wishing to free himself from the conventional lifestyle in his provincial French city of Anchay as well as a difficult stepmother, left in the early 1830s to make a new life in Paris. The story behind iconic luxury brand Louis Vuitton - best known for its esteemed handbags, crossbody bags, leather goods, ready-to-wear clothing and more - is one of craft and innovation in the worlds of fashion, jewelry and furniture.

Pink wild at heart