In what year was Louis Vuitton founded?

Louis Vuitton was founded in 1854.

The French luxury label began when Louis Vuitton established his own trunk-making and packing business in Paris. Before becoming an independent maker, Vuitton had trained in the trade and built a reputation for packing the wardrobes of wealthy and aristocratic clients, including Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.

The company’s early success came from practical innovation. In 1858, Vuitton introduced lightweight, flat-topped trunks covered in Trianon canvas. Unlike the rounded trunks commonly used at the time, the flat design could be stacked efficiently during travel and shipping.

The brand’s foundation date is sometimes confused with later milestones: the Asnières workshop opened in 1859, the Damier canvas appeared in 1888, and the famous Monogram canvas launched in 1896. Louis Vuitton later became part of LVMH, created in 1987 through a merger with Moët Hennessy, but the fashion house itself dates to 1854.