October 31, 2015
Style Update: Week 5
The House of Louis Vuitton
Well it has been quite the busy month in our handbag department here at STORE 5a. Word is spreading that we buy and sell very gently used designer handbags and our inventory has been rapidly increasing!
In case you didn’t know, we are interested in Fendi, Hermès, Prada, Gucci, Celine, Goyard and many other high-end brands that would typically be carried at a luxury retailer. My two favorite brands to buy and sell are Louis Vuitton and Chanel. These brands hold their value on all ends of buying and selling.
In case you didn’t know, we are interested in Fendi, Hermès, Prada, Gucci, Celine, Goyard and many other high-end brands that would typically be carried at a luxury retailer. My two favorite brands to buy and sell are Louis Vuitton and Chanel. These brands hold their value on all ends of buying and selling.
One reason why Louis Vuitton holds it's value is because they produce limited inventory of most designs and there is no authorized secondary market. Meaning: once the line has been presented to the public whatever hasn’t sold out is burned. That’s correct. A Louis Vuitton Bonfire. So if you miss an opportunity to buy a handbag in a store you might not get another, unless you shop at STORE 5a!
We present a great opportunity for clients to sell styles they might be done with, that someone else has been looking for. One such example pops into my head. We recently acquired a LV Talentueux shoulder bag. This bag came out in a collection that celebrated the heritage of Louis Vuitton by using trunk design aesthetics, like riveting on the strong silhouette of their smaller bags. Pieces from this collection are getting harder and harder to find and they haven’t designed many pieces with similar aesthetics since. You can snag this special bag for only $650 here.
The international powerhouse that we know as Louis Vuitton today is rooted in much humbler beginnings. In 1837, a 13-year-old Louis Vuitton started apprenticing for a trunk maker in Paris. Trunk making was a popular and lucrative trade back then, because most travel was done by horse and carriage, or by train. Luggage had to be tough enough to handle rough treatment and was expected to last a lifetime. People would travel with items of various shapes and sizes; so custom trunk making was a big part of the business.
Louis Vuitton soon became a premiere craftsman in his field and opened up his own shop. He was known for making not only functional but beautiful trunks. He designed strong skeletons with reinforced metal corner plates and rivet-lined seams. Louis was one of the first to make popular decorative prints on his leather. In fact, the first print he designed was the checker, also known as the Damier (my personal favorite). The monogram, that is more frequently seen today, was actually designed by his son George after his death.
The most important element to put the Vuitton men on the map was the invention of the double spring buckle lock, which changed the trunk game forever. Trunks were targets for thieves because people often would travel with all their possessions. Louis and George worked for years to create a lock that would help customers keep their stuff safe. And although it isn’t completely un-pickable, that lock is still used on their luggage today…and even on the Talentueux!
Today the house of Louis Vuitton makes everything from fashion jewelry and handbags to clothing and shoes. We are so excited to bring some of their pieces to the many Louis fans at an affordable price and maybe a little extra piece of history!
~Hannah Zadeh
STORE 5a
Photo cred: Jordan Pledger
~Hannah Zadeh
STORE 5a
Photo cred: Jordan Pledger