Founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton, The legendary Luxury fashion house has stood the test of time as the pinnacle of craftsmanship and design.
The company began solely producing luggages. Even at the inception and early stages of the company, Louis Vuitton's designs were innovative and highly coveted for their superior quality and craftsmanship.
Louis Vuitton pioneered the flat bottom trunk design which allowed luggage to be easily stacked for travel. He also developed an ingenious lock system that revolutionized the industry.
In 1896 his son Georges Vuitton created the iconic monogram canvas. Several decades later this beloved print began being produced into handbags.
Some of the earliest handbag designs include the Keepall, alma, and noe. All of which were produced in the 30s and are still being sold in stores today. Talk about timeless!
Fun fact; the Alma is said to have been a custom order made for Coco Chanel herself. This classic bag is named after the famed bridge in Paris.
More than 100 years later the brand is still at the top of its game. Always staying rooted in their timeless origins yet still producing new designs that have fashionista coming back for more. There is truly no other brand like it.
Louis Vuitton Speedy
There are a multitude of styles, prints, and sizes of bags that have been produced over the years.
Please click here for our guide on louis vuitton materials and styles!
Authenticity
Since the company's founding, Louis vuitton’s designs have been imitated and counterfeited.
There are several distinguishing factors between authentic Louis Vuitton pieces and "the fakes".
Overall Craftsmanship
Constructed with the finest materials, the quality of a Louis Vuitton bag is what sets it apart. The vachetta leather is a pale light tone before use, however overtime darkens with wear. It is normal to see discrepancies in the color when looking at the leather.
Hardware is usually made of brass and should be shiny and cool to the touch. It should also have some weight to it. Pay attention to the font and color. If the hardware looks streaky and feels plasticity it is most likely painted and not authentic. Most Louis Vuitton zippers have some form of the logo etched on them, however the backs of the zippers should be unmarked. It is worth noting, however, that some authentic vintage bags may use talon zippers.
If there are exposed springs or the use of philips head screws that may be a sign your item is not authentic. (Please note that some vintage bags may have tarnishing on the hardware, also authentic vintage bandouliere straps do have exposed springs.)
The lining is another distinguishing factor. The canvas linings are thick and feel sturdy to the touch. The alcantara is suede like, soft yet firm. It should not feel thin and it should not be too thick either. It is smooth and rarely overly fuzzy, although sometimes with age and wear the date codes and impressed logos can fade or rub off. It is important to look at how the logos and date codes are stamped into the lining and or leather. If it is uneven, too thick, too deep, or not deep enough these could be indicators that your item may not be authentic.
Another important factor is the font and stamping. Type, sizing, and impressions all come into play. The font type for the Louis Vuitton logo and “made in” stamp should be consistent, even and clean. It should be somewhat thin, clear, and crisp. Here are a few distinguishing factors to look at when considering the font
1. The tail on the L should be short.
2. The O’s should be nice and round and appear bigger than the L
3. The two T’s should be very close together so that they almost appear as if they are touching
The fonts for the date codes can vary depending on what factory or time period they were produced, however they will be consistent with other bags with the same factory codes.
Date codes- Developed in the 1980, not only authenticity markers, they tell the time and place the bag was produced.
Decoding the date code.
Bags made in the early 80s only used 3 numbers. The first 2 representing the year and the 3rd representing the month of that year it was made. For example a speedy stamped 832 was made in february of 1983.
In the mid to late 80s two letters were added to the end to represent the factory location. For example a keepall stamped 873 TH would indicate that the bag was made in France in march of 1987.
In 1990 the two letters were moved to the front and four numbers were used to represent the date. Bags made from 1990-2007 will use the following date code format with the first and third number representing the month and the 2nd and 4th representing the year.
For example: SD0042
SD- Made in France
1st and 3rd number: 04= April, the 4th month of the year
2nd and 4th number: 02= 2002
After 2007 the 1st and 3rd number began to represent the week of the year that a bag was made.
If the factory code does not match the place of the made in stamp, this could be a sign of a non authentic item.
| DATE CODE | |
|
France |
A0, A1, A2, AA, AAS (Special Order), AH, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, BU, DR, DU, DR, DT, CO, CT, CX, ET, FL, LW, MB, MI, NO, RA, RI, SA, SD, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TA, TJ, TH, TN, TR, TS, VI, VX |
|
Germany |
LP, OL |
|
Italy |
BC, BO, CE, FO, MA, NZ, OB, PL, RC, RE, SA, TD |
|
Spain |
BC, CA, LO, LB, LM, LW, GI, UB |
|
Switzerland |
DI, FA |
|
USA |
FC, FH, LA, OS, SD, FL, TX |
*Please note there are vintage exceptions to the rules. French company pieces will only have a paper tag with no date code or stamping. Vintage saks fifth avenue and Malltier pieces are only stamped with the logo.