Louis Vuitton: Inventor of modern luggage

HONG KONG (JP): Asked to name the homeland of Louis Vuitton, most fashion buffs would probably answer France. That is not entirely wrong, but not 100 percent correct either.

Vuitton, the third son of a miller, was born in Switzerland in 1821. At the age of 16, he traveled to Paris to try his luck. Seventeen years later, he was running his own business making trunks in a shop in the heart of the city.

The idea of making trunks occurred to Vuitton as he followed the development of trains and ships, which enabled people to travel more often and further than before. With a sharp mind for business, he decided to cater to the needs of this new class of travelers. While other people were still making short, oval cases, Vuitton designed lightweight, flat luggage which was sturdy enough to withstand long trips.

He enjoyed a robust business and opened his second shop within three years. Later, he gained international renown and began to expand his business overseas. In 1885, he opened a shop in London and in 1898, six years after his death, his luggage was available in New York and Philadelphia.

A century later, Louis Vuitton stores operate in 39 countries, including Indonesia and 11 other Asian countries. The variety of available products range from trunks, suitcases, hand bags, wallets, shoes, textiles, diaries, cuff links, desk accessories, pens and prt -- porter collections. (sim)