The Louis Vuitton bag introduced in 2014 by Nicolas Ghesquière is the Petite Malle.
The name means “little trunk” in French, and the design deliberately compresses Louis Vuitton’s historic trunk-making identity into a small structured handbag. It was presented for the autumn-winter 2014–2015 collection, Ghesquière’s first major runway collection after replacing Marc Jacobs as Louis Vuitton’s women’s artistic director.
The Petite Malle echoes traditional Vuitton luggage through its boxy silhouette, trunk-like construction, metal fittings, lock, and recognizable Monogram canvas. Unlike a full travel trunk, it is designed to be carried as a compact shoulder or crossbody bag, making the heritage reference practical for modern daily use.
It is often confused with other famous Louis Vuitton handbags. Capucines is named after the Paris street where the house began, Twist is known for its distinctive LV turn-lock, and Locky BB is a smaller handbag style. The Petite Malle is the one most directly conceived as a miniature version of the maison’s archival trunks.