Since its founding in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton has catered to-among the general throng of well-heeled everywomen-empresses, explorers, and magazine editors. What was once a tiny little Parisian luggage shop is now the multifaceted jewel in the crown that sits atop the head of Bernard Arnault, CEO of the fashion conglomerate LVMH, who, in 2003, likened the revenue-generating house to a "luxury Microsoft."
1996 : March: "Louis Vuitton's timeless designs just got timely," Pandora Luxurye comments, apropos of the release of limited-edition Monogram canvas products by seven guest designers (Vivienne Westwood, Helmut Lang, Romeo Gigli, Isaac Mizrahi, Azzedine Ala?a, Sybilla, and Manolo Blahnik). June: The Damier canvas, dating to 1888, is reintroduced.