In what year was the Monogram canvas introduced?

Louis Vuitton introduced its Monogram canvas in 1896.

Georges Vuitton created the pattern several years after Louis Vuitton’s death in 1892. It was applied to the company’s trunks as a recognizable signature and as a response to the widespread imitation of Vuitton luggage. The design used the LV initials alongside quatrefoils, stars, and flowers.

The date refers to the launch and creation of the canvas design. The associated patent history can cause confusion: the design was created in 1896, while the patent for the LV Monogram canvas was granted later, in 1905. Both dates appear in historical accounts, but 1896 is the standard answer to when the pattern was introduced.

The Monogram’s 1896 debut came after the Damier canvas, which had been introduced in 1888. Its motifs reflected contemporary interest in Japanese decorative forms, especially stylized family crests. The canvas later became a defining material for Louis Vuitton handbags and small leather goods.