You certainly don't realize it, but your brain is capable of identifying dozens of logos, and attach them to a brand. Among these logos, those of Haute couture houses hold the top of the table: from Paris to Tokyo and from New York to Sydney, a few letters are enough to evoke Louis Vuitton or Chanel. In this article, find the history of some of the the most emblematic logos in luxury leather goods !
The evolution of iconic logos
What is striking when we focus on the logos in the world of luxury leather goods, that’s how little they’ve evolved. The major Houses have in fact chosen efficiency and simplicity, like the hand bags which come out of their workshops.
Louis Vuitton is a perfect example: if the full name of the trunk maker originally appeared on the logo, sometimes accompanied by the addresses where it was located, it was radically simplified from 1895. When George, Louis' son, took over the reins of the House, he had this emblem transformed. We then only find the two initials L and V crossed, almost the logo we know today.
This desire tohonor the founder (and the father!) is also found at Gucci : it is in fact Aldo Gucci who introduced the double G intertwined – for Guccio Gucci – upon his arrival in the company. Initially used in conjunction with the name Gucci, the initials then gradually became the logo principal from the Italian family house. Enough to emphasize the authentic and artisanal side of luxury bags by Gucci.
Certain secret stories or interpretations sometimes surround the creation of logos. This is the case of double C of the House Chanel, which is sometimes said to combine the C of Gabrielle Chanel and the C of Boy Capel, the designer's large love. It actually takes up more simply the initials of Coco Chanel, the nickname of the great lady of French fashion. She herself would have imagined this iconic logo in the 1920s, which has never changed since!
At others big names in leather goods, the evolution of the logo marks more renewal and modernity than tradition. We think in particular of the very sober “Saint Laurent Paris” which replaced the legendary initials YSL of Yves Saint Laurent to represent the House upon the arrival of Hedi Slimane at its head. As for Fendi, son logo double F is neither more nor less attributed to Karl Lagerfeld, who designed it in a few minutes when he joined the brand as artistic director in the 1960s. If the House has since returned to a refined representation of its name, the initials are still an integral part of the branding Fendi.
A strong impact on brand identification
In the world of fashion, logos do not only reflect a history and a expertise, they also have a real impact on l’identification and the brand awareness. Indeed, if most of the Houses of luxury leather goods are represented by simple initials, however these can be recognized at a glance! For connoisseurs of high fashion or for a less informed audience, in France or internationally: the letters LV or YSL immediately evoke Parisian glamour.
One of the particularities of the world of luxury is that these logos have become prints in their own right over time. Designers use them in a creative way on bags, to the large of their aficionados: the Mamma Baguette by Fendi which features the brown double F monogram is for example one of the brand's most popular models.
Some Houses have for their part logos so well known that they have even been able to develop other designs that serve the same purpose. We can notably cite the very popular print mixing bees and stars from Gucci, but also the famous Celine Triumph pattern.
And since when we talk about luxury leather goods, we unfortunately also often think of counterfeiting, it should be noted the central role of logos in this regard. These can indeed help to detect fakes much more often than we think! Poorly imitated details of the carriage Hermes to the hazardous overlap of the two Cs of Chanel, better to know some golden rules to sort out fact from fiction.
When logos make history
You will have understood, the logos have often made it possible to write the history of the greatest haute couture houses. It is enough to mention a few models of iconic bags to realize it...
On the side of Louis Vuitton, the extremely famous LV monogram, which combines initials with geometric floral symbols, is among the House's most popular. Recognizable in a few seconds, both on the coated canvas and on the imprinted leather, it is simply inseparable from the brand. Let's do the test: close your eyes and imagine a sac Keepall – how do you picture it? With a Monogram print Of course !
Same observation with Gucci : legendary sac Jackie to the collection Ophidia more recent, difficult to imagine the accessories of the Italian designer without the toile Supreme and its double G logo . And for all those who prefer leather or velvet – but always with the Gucci touch! – the various models Marmont adorned with a boucle GG all rounded should know how to convince them...
Finally, one bag in particular has become iconic thanks to its logo : it is the Timeless de Chanel. On the occasion of its creation, in homage to sac 11.12 of the House, Karl Lagerfeld decided for the first time to use the CC clasp rather than the Mademoiselle clasp. Sublimated by this size detail, the handbag has since entered legend by becoming the most popular luxury bag of the world.
Find the models mentioned in the article now – and many others – in the selection of second hand bags of Vintega !
