Louis Vuitton: The Birth of Modern Luxury

In the same format as our spectacular The Birth of Modern Luxury (540 pages, 600 illustrations) comes Louis Vuitton: The History of the Travel Trunk. This book provides the definitive story of the creation of their legendary travel luggage. In the middle of the nineteenth century, trains and steam ships transformed transportation and opened the world to a new breed of travellers. Louis Vuitton understood the need for more practical luggage and strove to create products that were adaptable to all situations. Authors Pierre-Leon Forte and Florence Muller explore all aspects of this story from Louis Vuitton’s apprenticeship in traditional box making to the revolution of the stackable flat-top trunk; from the development of the tumbler lock to the creation of the LV monogram canvas. It also includes examples of devoted customers such as Queen Elizabeth II and explorer Pierre S De Brazza. Illustrated with 600 images taken from the Vuitton archives, this book will be the definitive volume on one man and his sons’ dedication to creating objects of luxury and practicality.Creator BioPierre Leon Forte has been working at Maison Louis Vuitton for many years and is currently the editor in chief of the City Guide Vuitton series. Florence Muller is a historian, a correspondent for the magazine Surface, and a professor at Institut Francais de la Mode in Paris where she lives. She is the author of Abrams’ Yves Saint Laurent: Style, among other books.