The Birth, 1858 

Louis Vuitton Malletier, now commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton and operating under the luxury conglomerate LVMH (Möet Hennessey • Louis Vuitton), was founded by Louis Vuitton, himself, in 1854 on Rue Neuve des Capucines in Paris, France.  Today, Louis Vuitton offers a plethora of luggage pieces in countless combinations of pattern interpretations, materials, and shapes, but it all began with the trunk or "malle," in French.   The very first Louis Vuitton trunk was introduced in 1858.  

The Trianon Canvas, 1858 - 1876

In 1858, the first Louis Vuitton trunk was introduced, featuring Vuitton's gray Trianon canvas.  The Vuitton trunk was especially noteworthy upon its introduction, as it was the first trunk to have a flat top and bottom, so as to be stackable and more easily transported.  Previously, trunks of the day featured rounded tops to facilitate water run-off.  

The Rayée Canvas, 1872 - 1888

To protect against imitation, Vuitton replaced the Trianon canvas with a red and white striped canvas in 1872.  Later, in 1876, he began using a beige and brown striped canvas. Both are named, Rayée canvas, or “Striped” canvas in French. The Rayée canvas was used until the introduction of the Damier canvas in 1888.  

The Damier Canvas, 1888 - Present

To further avoid imitation of his look, Vuitton introduced the Damier canvas in 1888. The antique Louis Vuitton Damier canvas appear in two color schemes: the more rare, red (dark red dots over a dark brown background) and white checker, and the more common, light and dark brown checker. Upon the introduction of the Damier pattern, Vuitton began placing "marque L. Vuitton déposée" inside each trunk, which loosely translates to "L. Vuitton trademark". The Damier canvas is still used frequently to this day.  

The Monogram Canvas, 1896 - Present 

Louis Vuitton died in 1892, thereby passing the control of the company to his son, Georges Vuitton.  Georges has grandiose dreams for the brand and took great strides to catapult the company into iconic prestige as a worldwide luxury corporation.  In 1896, Georges introduced the signature LV Monogram canvas, but did not sell the first Monogram until 1897.  The Monogram's symbols, namely the graphic flower and quatrefoil, echo the Oriental design trend of the late Victorian era.  The world is wildly familiar with the Monogram canvas, the most dominant of canvases used by the company.

The Vuittonite Canvas, Turn of the Century 

The Vuittonite canvas--in colors of yellow, orange, brown, and black, among others--appear on Louis Vuitton trunks predominantly dating from the turn of the century to the 1920's.  Colorful Vuittonites in excellent condition are rare; these fetch prices comparable to fine Damiers and Monograms.  The Vuittonite canvas exists in other colors, as well.  For example, a special order red Vuittonite trunk, designed to transport photography equipment, was commissioned for early 20th Century French philanthropist, for his journey to India, along with two photographers, to capture the juxtaposed daily lives of both the maharajas and the common people.  

Speciality Materials , Late 19th Century - Present 

From the 19th Century to the present day, Louis Vuitton remains creative in their use of materials for their special order pieces (Asniéres).  Materials include but are not limited to: Zinc, Copper, Wood, Canvas, and a plethora of Leathers (Natural Cowhide, Calf, Crocodile, Alligator, Elephant, Walrus, Lizard, Snake, and Seal) in a variety of treatments named by Louis Vuitton as Grained Leather, Morocco Leather, Nomade Leather, Taiga Leather, and Suhali Leather. 

Source: Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton “100 Legendary Trunks”