Louis Vuitton Monogram Turns 130 with Year-Long Tribute Campaign

Georges Vuitton designed the Louis Vuitton monogram in 1896, four years after his father Louis's death. Louis had opened a trunk-making workshop near Place Vendôme in 1854, innovating with waterproof canvas and flat-topped trunks. The monogram—an ochre emblem of a four-petaled flower in a circle, another in a diamond, and interlocking L and V—was created to combat imitations. It drew inspiration from Neo-Gothic cathedral motifs and Japanese mon crests. Initially unusual for a maison to brand itself so boldly, the pattern became synonymous with luxury and modernity. It evolved from jacquard embroidery to hand-painted stencils. For its 100th anniversary, the house collaborated with Azzedine Alaïa, Manolo Blahnik, and Vivienne Westwood. In 2003, Takashi Murakami's candy-colored reworks became iconic. Marc Jacobs commissioned Stephen Sprouse for graffiti versions. In 2014, Frank Gehry, Rei Kawakubo, and Karl Lagerfeld reinterpreted the monogram. Now, for its 130th anniversary, Louis Vuitton launches a year-long tribute including the Monogram Anniversary Collection, featuring Vache Végétale Naturelle cowhide, Monogram Origine jacquard weave, and Time Trunk trompe-l'œil printing.