My Louis Vuitton Collection
This is a snap of my personal vintage Louis Vuitton collection, filled with icon styles (minus the few knockoffs I had in college)! As you can tell, I’m a big fan of the signature monogrammed canvas. It very much feels like a neutral to me and goes with everything and anything, including black. It elevates any look and I’m a big fan of the vachetta leather trim when the patina turns golden brown. The older the better in my book!
My very first purchase was the Marly Dragonne clutch. I found it stacked in a little vintage shop in Rome back in 2006 when I went to a wedding with an old boyfriend. It’s still one of my favorite styles to grab when going out at night. Perfect size for phone, card case, lip gloss, bandaids and a hair tie. My next purchase was the Neverfull tote, which is the MM medium size and I think is the most practical tote of all time because it’s structured and literally fits everything perfectly, including a laptop. I’ve used this bag pretty much every day for the past 5 years! So last summer, I didn’t think twice about investing in the Damier Azur, navy and cream, canvas check. I love using this one in the warmer months, it especially pairs well with lighter outfits and navy neutrals.
The Speedy 30 and Danube crossbody have been go-tos for more casual outings. The Danube is a bit sportier than my normal style but I like wearing it on the weekends with oversized sweaters, t-shirts and jeans for a more relaxed feel. I don’t think there’s much to say about the Speedy other than it’s probably the most iconic LV style there is! My favorite thing about this one is how easily it folds flat, making it so easy to travel with.
The card wallet is the Ludlow style (now discontinued) which I use as my every day wallet. I put bills in the front coin slot and it has 3 slots for cards. The larger wallet style is the Clémence which I keep in my office with cash and cards I don’t use as often. I’d love to carry more wallets and card cases in the vintage shop but I’m curious what everyone’s preferences are on style? Do you regularly carry a standard size wallet? Or do you prefer card cases?
Overall, I consider Louis Vuitton a sophisticated luxury fashion house but compared to others, like Chanel and Hermès, there’s a much bigger urban cultural influence to their collection. Some of the LV vintage signature collections that feel really street style to me are the rainbow monogrammed canvas, the shiny Vernis coated leather and the painted canvas series like the graffiti logo and roses.
Personally, I love how the Louis Vuitton bag collection feels less fussy and more practical than other luxury brands. I spent some time thinking about the styles and collections I like best and want to share some of my thoughts below.
Signature Icons
This is a round-up of my favorite iconic Louis Vuitton styles! Many of these styles are also offered in Damier Azur and Damier Ebene (which is two tone brown) checkered canvas. You’ve probably noticed when shopping for LV bags that they come in multiple sizes. Usually the sizes are PM (petite modele), MM (moyen modele), GM (grand modele) or BB (bebe bandouliere) which is a newer offering and means that it is the smallest size and comes with a shoulder strap!
The most iconic styles pictured above are probably the Speedy, Noe, Alma and Neverfull. Otherwise, many of the styles have been discontinued and therefore, can only be found in the world of vintage. Shopping for a vintage Louis Vuitton bag can be one of the trickiest categories to shop for due to the sheer amount of options that are out there. There’s a wide range of quality to sift through. My biggest piece of advice is to make sure that the outside of the bag is aging evenly.
In my personal collection, I feel covered in the signature styles. I’ve got a tote, clutch, crossbody, wallet and top handle option. On my LV wishlist are more colorful styles so let’s chat Epi leather!
Epi Leather
Oh Epi leather, how I love you! I love how durable and structured the leather is. These bags really hold their shape and are even more durable than the signature canvas.
This leather became popular in the 1980s in 12 colors and then over time, the color options have expanded. I discovered a color chart that I reference often and bookmarked here for you. Many iconic styles that are offered in the canvas are also offered in Epi leather. There’s also a handful of vintage styles that were only offered in Epi and they no longer produce, like the Art Deco Clutch, Cluny Toledo Bag, Sac De Paule Bag and Dupleix Tote.
On my Epi shopping list is a black belt, bright colored Pochette Bag (currently I have one in Pistache and Turquoise available) and a punchy Neverfull Tote. What’s on your list?
Empreinte Leather
Empreinte leather was introduced in 2012 so it’s not as iconic as the monogrammed canvas and Epi leather. Because this leather is newer, there’s not nearly as many options on the resale market, especially not in fun colors like the broad Epi offering. There’s something about the sensibility of this leather that feel like a good material for an every day neutral colored bag like black, grey or cream. It’s structured enough but also has a bit of personality. I personally love the neutrals and darker colored jewel tones in the Empreinte leather. That wine colored Montaige bag, get in my closet for fall!
Denim
The denim line originally launched in 2005 and was offered in blue, green, pink, grey and black. It’s a highly collectable collection and many of these styles are some of the highest prices you’ll find for vintage LV. Just look at that Bum Bag and Sac A Dos Backpack….swoon! I always keep my eye out for them in good condition. You have to watch this fabric though because as you can imagine, it doesn’t age quite as well as the signature monogrammed canvas does. The Mini Lin canvas collection is another good option for a denim like fabric and is slightly lower priced.
Accessories
If I worked in merchandising at Louis Vuitton, I would work on expanding the offering in belts, scarves and costume jewelry. I love a good color pop in a belt, which Epi leather so perfectly lends itself towards, why are these so hard to find? Over the years, they’ve also done some cool classic leather belt options in black, white and tan. I actually have a couple rare early 2000s in my collection now.
A couple months ago, I noticed someone walking down Fillmore street wearing a cashmere LV stole draped around their shoulders. It was so chic with the understated logo! Makes me want to invest in one for my personal collection to have on hand to cozy up in on chilly work days and also to take out on dinner dates. Some of them have a nice sheen to them and can easily be dressed up or down like the champagne one pictured above. As for silk scarves, I like when they have a bit of a bold pattern rather than just the LV emblem all over it.
Do you think statement bracelets will ever make a comeback? If so, there’s some good ones to curate out of the LV archives!
