130 Years of Louis Vuitton’s Monogram

Louis Vuitton marks 130 years of its iconic Monogram with a year-long celebration.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

From its inception, the Monogram was a pioneering idea. In 1896, Georges Vuitton designed the pattern as a tribute to his father, Louis, and registered a patent for an intricate composition of interlaced LV initials and floral motifs. Inspired by Neo-Gothic ornamentation and the influence of Japonism, the Monogram was created to safeguard the authenticity of the House’s creations, following the striped canvas of 1872 and the Damier of 1888. The design soon became something greater – a defining signature and enduring hallmark of Louis Vuitton’s spirit.

Throughout its history, the Monogram has united generations of creators, collectors and cultural icons, including Marc Jacobs (Artistic Director of Women’s and Men’s Collections, 1997–2013); Nicolas Ghesquière (Artistic Director of Women’s Collections since 2013); Virgil Abloh (Artistic Director of Men’s Collections, 2018–2021); and Pharrell Williams (Men’s Creative Director since 2022). It has also inspired exceptional collaborations with leading artists such as Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama and Richard Prince.

2026 Special-edition collections

Louis Vuitton introduces three exclusive capsule collections to honour 130 years of its legendary Monogram: Monogram Origine, VVN and Time Trunk. Each collection honours a different facet of the House’s legacy: the poetry of canvas, the purity of natural leather and the visionary savoir-faire of the trunk-maker’s art.

Monogram Origine Collection – Leather goods

The Monogram Origine Collection revisits the original 1896 pattern with a brand-new Monogram canvas that reinterprets the traditional jacquard weave, crafted from a linen–cotton blend in a palette of soft pastel hues. The collection draws inspiration from the cover of an archival client register of the House.

VVN Collection – The art of natural leather

The VVN Collection – short for Vache Végétale Naturelle – is an ode to Louis Vuitton’s leather-goods legacy. Crafted from the finest natural cowhide, the collection underlines purity, authenticity and the tactile poetry of hand-finished leather, with each piece developing a unique patina over time.

Time Trunk Collection – A dialogue across time

The Time Trunk Collection bridges past and present through bold trompe-l’oeil printing that reproduces the textures and metallic details of Louis Vuitton’s historic trunks, transforming heritage into an artful illusion. First unveiled during Nicolas Ghesquière’s Autumn/Winter 2018 Women’s show and reimagined for Autumn/Winter 2024 to celebrate his tenth anniversary as Artistic Director of Women’s Collections, the collection stands as a tribute to the House’s enduring dialogue between tradition and modernity. | eu.louisvuitton.com

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