Are you a fan of vintage trunks from Louis Vuitton but are looking for something you can carry with you on the daily?
A modern-day trunk is a great way to experience a compact and go-to version of these longtime-loved travel trunks. Handbags and accessories from Louis Vuitton applaud the house’s iconic designs influenced by their roots in boxy travel trunks. Today, the option for smaller-scale trunk bags means that these coveted pieces offer the style and functionality of a classic trunk without having to actually carry around an oversized travel trunk. Aside from handbags, you can discover other trunk-inspired accessories, too, allowing ultra-luxury fans of Louis Vuitton to indulge in the brand’s heritage in every way possible.
Watch our YouTube Short on Louis Vuitton Trunk Bags & Accessories
The History of the Trunk Design
Modern-day Louis Vuitton trunks wouldn’t carry the prestige they do today if not for the creation of the original travel trunk designed by Louis Vuitton in 1854. Vuitton was a young Parisian malletier (which translates to trunk-maker in French) who created a high-end luggage trunk with a flat top and bottom to facilitate stacking for those long hauls. This oversized boxier design was successful due to the growth of industrialization, which propelled the need for trunks to safely pack belongings for steamboats and locomotive travel. These roots in trunkmaking have become a mainstay in the Louis Vuitton brand DNA, further pushing for trunk-inspired designs that facilitate the wide variety of modern-day trunk bags available today.
The Evolution of Louis Vuitton Trunk Sizes
Although the purpose of travel trunks may not be as suitable for modern times, they’re still incredibly sought after today as vintage and collector’s items – perfect for those who appreciate the trunks’ history, craftsmanship, and uniqueness. But as times have changed, so have the trunks. Over time, the shrinking of the trunk has led to smaller and more versatile trunk-inspired bag sizes. What used to measure several feet in width, height, and depth, for example, a Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk, is now, on average several inches in length, width, and height. Today you can buy many modern-day Louis Vuitton trunk bags that share the physical qualities of those classic trunks but are much more suitable for modern everyday use.
The Evolution of Louis Vuitton Trunks Styles
Nearly every modern-day Louis Vuitton bag shares a subtle reference to its trunk-making past. However, there are certain styles specifically that reference the symbolism of the original trunk – even expanding beyond the traditional bag and luggage category.
Pro Tips: “Petite Malle” translates to “little trunk.” It stems from the French word “malletier,” which means trunk-maker. The modern-day Louis Vuitton Vanity style borrows many design elements from the original LV Beauty Train Trunk. And the line of Louis Vuitton Steamer bags is inspired by the House’s Steam trunk with its emblematic chain-and-pin closure.
Here are some examples of trunk-inspired bags and accessories you can shop for at FASHIONPHILE.
A modern-day trunk is a great way to experience a compact and go-to version of these longtime-loved travel trunks. Louis Vuitton has an incredible collection of trunk-inspired bags; equally sought after are those vintage travel trunks loved by collectors. As travel conditions change, trunks adapt to the times. Notable brands in luxury fashion, like Louis Vuitton, continue to honor their brand DNA in trunk-making while offering bags in varying sizes and styles that serve the look and functionality of trunks that luxury shoppers crave.
