Friday, July 23, 2010

Vintage LOUIS VUITTON monogram bag!

One of the most frequent requests in our vintage shop has always been vintage designer items, especially bags. It seems everybody wants to own a vintage Chanel, Gucci or Louis Vuitton purse. It's no surprise, and buying designer vintage makes a lot of sense for those of us who's budgets can't stretch to new designer prices . It will almost always be a good investment, as you are are getting an authentic piece that was most likely very expensive new, and will retain it's value or even increase over the years if well looked after.

We are always on the hunt for these items, but they are scarce, and often too expensive for us to buy and re-sell.

Last week we had an opportunity to buy a few great designer pieces, including this vintage 'Louis Vuitton' speedy 30 hand bag! This is a timeless piece in the famous LV monogram canvas with brown leather and golden brass hardwear, a must for any Louis collector, and it'll be in the shop today!




Louis Vuitton Malletier, more commonly known as Louis Vuitton is a French fashion house that started way back in 1854. The LV monogram, introduced in the late 1800's is perhaps the most recognized luxury brand in the world.

Audrey Hepburn with her 'Louis Vuitton Speedy'

Louis Vuitton started his company as a maker of trunks. After working for French royalty, he developed an advanced knowledge of what was required to make a good traveling case, and so began to make his own luggage. He introduced his lightweight, airtight, flat bottom trunks, the first trunks that were stackable with ease for long voyages. Before his introduction, trunks were generally heavy and rounded on top to promote water run off, and thus couldn't be stacked. The Vuitton trunks practicality made them hugely successful and prestigious, and other luggage makers soon began to immitate the style and design. Vuitton set about re-designing the trunk exterior to protect against this duplication of his look, firstly with brown and beige stripes, later with a canvas pattern bearing the logo 'marque L. Vuitton Deposee' which roughly translates to 'L. Vuitton Trademark'. After his death in 1892, his son Georges vuitton began to build the company internationally, launching the signature monogram canvas, and made worldwide patents on it which proved successful in stopping counterfeiting.

Louis Vuitton trunk makers in Asnieres, France taken in the 1800s, where hard-sided special order trunks are still made to this day!

Stay tuned for more vintage designer pieces in the coming weeks!

1 comment:

  1. I purchased a 1980's Louis vuitton Speedy #30 bag on ebay. How do I know for sure it is "authentic"? Zipper pulls on the bag exterior interior do not match. Is that authentic? Canvas monogram pocket inside the bag, is that authentic? Plastic coating on seams inside bag is that authentic? The person I purchased it from said she owned this LV speedy bag since 1985 It has no "numbers' on the bag, nor on the leather that is stamped # 30 any where. Did I get taken? and did I buy a "fake?"

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