Every event we have in life, whether positive or negative, is a way for us to learn about life. We consciously decide whether to make good or bad decisions. Do good deeds, make the right choices, and you will enjoy the great life you will receive in return.
Everybody's experience of life is unique. If you are born poor, it is not your fault; however, if you die poor, it is. It's easy to curse life and place blame on circumstances; in fact, the majority of people in the world do just this. In this same world, there are also those people who don't give up in the face of adversity but instead rise above it.
Today, we are sharing with you a similar story about an orphaned child who, through extraordinary courage, built a billion-dollar business.
So let's begin... Yes! Louis Vuitton is the name of both a person and a company. The guy who, through courage and ability, created a business that is now worth about $300 billion today.
But regrettably, the boy who started this $300 billion firm was raised without even having a home.
People consider a successful person's eminence, riches, and status when judging them. However, very few people are aware of the struggles that a person faces to attain that high level.
Today, we're going to tell you some little-known facts about Louis Vuitton.
Dream of success.
Back in the 19th century, Louis, a child did not have a home and food to eat but the only thing he had was a dream - A dream of success, of eminence.
Food is necessary for survival, and money is required to purchase food. Louis would work with craftspeople to make money. He just had enough money for two meals per day. But by working with craftspeople he also acquired the abilities that enabled him to build the billion-dollar business it is today.
Early days of struggle.
Louis Vuitton was born on 4 August 1821 to a poor family of Anchay in Jura, France. He was born to Coronne Gaillard (mother), who was a women's hat maker, and Xavier (father), a poor farmer.
France was currently rebuilding after suffering setbacks during Napoleon's regime. At the time, farmers were in very poor condition due to the numerous wars, and Louis's family was one of them. Circumstances forced Louis to work as a field laborer. He was grazing livestock, gathering firewood, and working in the field from dawn till dusk. These tasks were not so painful for him because the major challenges were yet to come into his life.
Louis's mother died when he was ten years old. His father also had a second marriage. Fortunately or unfortunately, his stepmother resembled a cinematic villain. She was depriving him of food and peaceful existence. He suffered because of her. Louis first endured this, but when it went too far, he left his house and traveled to Paris in 1837.
He had no money or food to eat in Paris. But fate had other plans; he was given a position working with artisans where he picked up skills for working with stone, textiles, metal, and wooden crafts. He earned money from this employment that allowed him to buy meals. However, he was still without a place to call home. He was spending his nights on wooden planks, covered in a blanket.
A turning point in life.
His time was about to change. France began using rail because of the Industrial Revolution. Travelling was very easy and people started to move across frequently. But there was one problem with the luggage. People were traveling with painting, clothes, and furniture. This problem was a bigger opportunity for artisans. They were creating large, box-like bags that could be used to pack anything. This presented Louis with a chance for himself as well. He was also quite skilled at working with various materials, including stone, textiles, metal, and wood. Louis was only waiting for the chance. Monsieur Marechal gave him that chance to work in his workshop. Still, he was not getting enough money.
However, Louis was honing his abilities, and his efforts soon paid off, As said - "A diamond does not shine till it is polished." Louis quickly rose to the top among Monsieur's customers as their well-liked box maker. Now his time was going good and hence he was getting very popular.
Napoleon III's restoration of the French Empire turned out to be very beneficial for the young Louis. Eugenie de Montijo, a countess from Spain, was Napoleon III's wife and the Empress of France. She hired Louis as her personal box-maker and packer after she married the Emperor and gave him the task of exquisitely packing the most gorgeous garments. She opened doors for Louis to a class of affluent and elite customers who would hire him for the rest of his time.
Good time's bad thing is it changes quickly. But now it was Louis's good time and he was growing in popularity.
In that year, Vuitton got to know Clemence-Emilie Parriaux, a stunning 17-year-old. On April 22, 1854, Vuitton and Parriaux were united in marriage.
Soaring high on success.
After a year of working for the Queen of France, Louis made the decision to open his own business. This marked the start of the brand - Louis Vuitton, popularly known as LV today.
Till that time, only rectangular boxes of leather were made. The top part of these boxes was dome-shaped. The reason is the water would not stay on the box and the leather is not damaged. However, the disadvantage of these boxes was they could not be stacked and were taking up more space.
Louis's idea solved these problems. Instead of using leather, he used canvas to make the boxes. Canvas was strong, waterproof, and lightweight. Now it was possible to manufacture the boxes in regular shape that can now be stacked one above the other. Apart from these, they appeared stunning and contemporary.
This concept drastically altered Louis's life, and within two years, Louis Vuitton handbags were widely used. He expanded into a bigger workshop in the village of Asnieres outside of Paris to accommodate the demand. Louis also thought of creating handbags in addition to these boxes.
Handbags were rather inconvenient at the time, and individuals only carried them when absolutely required. Louis was aware of his ability to create something great. He took advantage of the fact that his bags were made of canvas by beginning to add fresh, elegant designs to them.
Louis' concept changed people's perceptions of handbags. Women started matching their handbags to their outfits.
Even if everything was going well, Louis yearned to create something new. He was puzzled about how he could add something new to the bags to make them more useful. He, therefore, took the help of his son, George. His notion was nothing less than wizardry, just like his father's. George made the suggestion to secure the bags with locks.
You might be wondering now what the locks on the bags do that are so miraculous. However, I should mention that earlier bags lacked locks. George created various shapes and designs of locks that made bags appear to be valuable objects. Additionally, this concept protected it from theft.
Louis Vuitton bags once again were soaring high on success. As we said earlier, the time always does not stay the same. Louis's time was again changing.
Riches to rags.
Unfortunately, the Franco-Prussian War that broke out following the military blockade of Paris in 1870 caused a halt to Vuitton's operations and led to a terrible civil war that destroyed the French Empire.
Louis's work was completely stopped. Louis had to come to the city. And this time he was not alone. His family was also with him. He was not getting proper food to eat.
On January 28, 1871, when the siege was eventually ended, Louis went to Asnieres to see the town in ruins, his equipment stolen, his employees dispersed, and his business devastated.
A great revival and his legacy.
Louis started looking for a new location for his store after using his savings to renovate his workshop. Property values had dropped because of the war. Louis paid a relatively small amount to purchase the store on Rue Scribe inside the city. After opening the new store, Louis regained his business within six months. But he needed to operate the company more quickly, so he made use of technology and added a pattern to the bags that included red and beige stripes on canvas. The new, elegant yet understated style won over Paris' new elite and signaled the start of Louis Vuitton as a contemporary luxury brand.
Louis started receiving orders from all over the world, so to fulfill them, he opened a new store in London. These led to the global spread of Louis Vuitton as a brand. Louis was the only fashion designer whose goods were purchased both domestically and abroad. Louis had the idea of creating a product catalog to make shopping simpler but he passed away in the same year.
Louis Vuitton's cause of death.
Louis Vuitton died when he was 70 years old, on February 27, 1892, due to aggressive brain cancer (glioblastoma).
George assumed control of the company's management upon Louis's death. He created the monogram of LV in honor of his father, which we see even today.
Louis Vuitton is dead but the renowned brand he built tops the list of luxury lifestyle and fashion industry.
Conclusion
The history of Louis Vuitton is long, complex, and fascinating. Louis Vuitton is one of the biggest luxury brands in the world with a very rich history. The name has remained popular for more than 150 years and its value was never questioned. Its logo is instantly recognizable, which is becoming more important as competition from cheaper brands grows. The quality of its merchandise has always been considered superior and it's always made in France.
So this was the story of Louis Vuitton. If you want more such success stories, please subscribe to the Success Trending blog and let us know your views in the comments.
