Style, Fashion

From Louis to Vuitton Documents the Making of a Legend

Text by Magnifissance Magazine

Louis Vuitton has long turned the art of travel into an art form, telling stories through exquisitely crafted trunks, objets d’art, and fashion. Now, the Maison becomes the subject of its own story, captured in From Louis to Vuitton, a richly illustrated new volume from publishing house Assouline.

From-Louis-to-Vuitton-4 — Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 show by Pharrell Williams. For his first collection as Creative Director of menswear, he staged a runway show on the Pont-Neuf, June 2023. © Ludovic Marin/Getty Images

Authored by French writer and filmmaker Arthur Dreyfus, with a foreword by Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari, the book offers a sweeping, cinematic journey through the brand’s storied heritage: from its humble beginnings to its evolution into a global symbol of style.

From-Louis-to-Vuitton-1 — Above: The workshop at Asnières, founded in 1859 to take advantage of river transport, which constituted a commercial boon for the trunk-maker © Collection Louis Vuitton. Below: Le Voyage en avion (Air Travel), by American photographer Thérèse Bonney, circa 1927. Archives Louis Vuitton Malletier/Thérèse Bonney © The Regents of the University of California, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

At its core is the stirring biography of Louis Vuitton himself: a determined 14-year-old who set off on foot from his village in the Jura mountains to Paris, where he would apprentice as a trunk maker and eventually build one of the most recognizable luxury houses in the world. The book retraces his steps, inviting readers into the original Asnières atelier and family home, still the beating heart of Vuitton craftsmanship today.

From-Louis-to-Vuitton-3 — Above: Trademark registered by Mr. Louis Vuitton, March 21, 1905, at the registry of the Paris Commercial Court. © Archives INPI. Below: Assembling frames and interior carcasses of structured luggage and trunks, circa 1903. © Collection Louis Vuitton

Structured around 54 keywords in homage to the Maison’s founding year, 1854, From Louis to Vuitton spans 406 pages and features more than 320 archival and contemporary images. The narrative traces the Maison’s ever-evolving savoir-faire, from the creation of its first steamer trunk to its present-day innovations in fashion, leather goods, and high-tech travel.

From-Louis-to-Vuitton-9 — Left: The Louis Vuitton trunk housing the trophy of the 37th America’s Cup, 2024. © Piotr Stoklosa. Right: Circus window at the Louis Vuitton Montaigne store, Paris, 2011. © Stéphane Muratet for Louis Vuitton

The book also delves into Louis Vuitton’s enduring ties to adventure, highlighting everything from historic travel pieces to modern-day collaborations with Formula 1 and the America’s Cup. Sustainability efforts, such as the Committed Journey initiative, are also spotlighted, reinforcing the brand’s forward-looking ethos.

Visually, From Louis to Vuitton is as sumptuous as its story. A vibrant yellow cover—referencing the Maison’s signature saddle stitch—is sheathed in a Damier-style slipcase. For the discerning collector, a limited-edition Louis Vuitton trunk has been designed especially for the release, transforming the book into a true objet d’art.