Buying Louis Vuitton: What you need to know

Louis Vuitton, otherwise known as LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey), is a luggage and leather goods company that was founded by Louis Vuitton Malletier in 1854, and is one of the world's premier luxury brand names today.  

Born in Jura, France, Vuitton moved to Paris in 1935 – a 400km journey he made on foot. Once he had arrived, he became an apprentice Layetier, or trunk maker, and quickly became a firm favourite among the French aristocracy. He really began to make a name for himself when he was commissioned by Napoleon III of France to make luggage for his wife, Empress Eugénie de Montijo. It was during these years as a Layetier for the French aristocracy that Vuitton would learn the most about what it was to make a good travelling trunk.

He took this knowledge into the heart of his future company. One of his most pioneering designs was his flat-bottomed truck, which was lightweight and airtight. Until this revolutionary development, trunks could not be stacked on top of one another, as they were commonly designed with a rounded top to allow water to flow off them. This created huge problems for shipping companies, and many other luggage manufacturers soon emulated Vuitton's trunk design.  

The counterfeiting of LVMH designs has continued to this day, and in fact is the world's most copied design house. It is estimated that only 1% of all goods bearing the distinctive LV logo are actually genuine products. 

The tradition of the Layetier is still carried on by the Louis Vuitton empire, and all luggage bearing the LV anagram is still made by hand by craftsman dedicated to their profession, many of them still with the distinct Damier and Monogram Canvas.  

In addition to its famous luggage, today Louis Vuitton also produces a line of small leather goods, including belts, a ready-to-wear collection, shoes, watches, brief cases and city bags, scarves, pens and agendas, sunglasses and fine jewellery.

This season's essential LV items include the Galliera PM bag, in brown leather with a wide adjustable shoulder strap, the Sofia sandal in red goats leather, and the red nylon trenchcoat from the ready-to-wear collection.  

Also worth obtaining is a pair of LV sunglasses, that come in a range of metal and acetate frames, which are perfect teamed up with a monogram shawl.