Georges Ferréol Vuitton

Due to the popularity of the brand, many counterfeit products appeared in France and were sold at much lower prices that reflected their poor craftsmanship. In 1896, in response to counterfeiters, Georges created a complicated pattern that would cover his trunks[7] and reduce counterfeits due to the difficulty in creating the pattern.[6] This resulted in the creation of the LV monogram canvas, which was both a response to counterfeits and a homage to his father Louis Vuitton.[6] This canvas is covered with diamonds, the LV logo, flowers and quatrefoils[5] and other shapes that have become a key part of the brand's image.[7] Despite its creation in 1896, it was not until 1905 that the patent for the LV monogram canvas was granted.[6]

Georges' father Louis Vuitton, founder of the luxury brand.

The LV monogram canvas was developed by Georges Vuitton both as a tribute to his father and the brand and to curb the production of counterfeits.

A large part of Georges Ferréol Vuitton's life was his love of automobiles and traveling in them.[6][8] His interest became an essential point of the Louis Vuitton trunks and how the brand created and innovated on them. Georges saw many trunks that were being made without the idea of them being put into automobiles in mind. He wanted to innovate and change this.[8] He decided that a traveller should be able to travel in a car with the same amount of cargo one could take on a boat or a train, so he created a more sturdy and space-efficient trunk than was previously manufactured.[6] Georges' solution was to use new materials he had not previously used to create his trunks, including a black waterproof cloth that coated every trunk to ensure durability.[5] Louis Vuitton also decided to bevel each closure of the trunk rendering the new trunks not as susceptible to issues caused by rain and dust.[6] Georges understood that in traveling in a car, the trunks need to be stacked on top of each other to use space efficiently, so he revolutionized the creation of trunks by squaring the edges and with flat tops and bottoms,[8] making them perfect for stacking rather than the typical rounded edges that were common at the time.[7][8] In doing so, Vuitton bought the frame of an automobile (car chassis)[8] so that he could create his own car and he entrusted this mission to multiple different bodybuilders of cars such as Labourdette, Rothschild and Janteaud.[6][8] He commissioned them to create an automobile that he could then use to match and design his own car trunks.[1] In the year of 1897, Georges Ferréol Vuitton presented the first prototype of the new trunk that he created—the Car trunk.[8] He presented his prototype and ideas at multiple automobile trade shows.[6] During George Ferréol's reign over Louis Vuitton, he also created many other trunks such as the 'Perfect Trunk' for men's changing rooms, and the Louis Vuitton Aero Trunk[9] in 1921 to accompany the creation of Helicopter prototypes by his twin sons Jean and Pierre.[9]

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, most travelers used trunks which were the main produce of Louis Vuitton.[5] Unfortunately trunks mostly had an easy lock to pick by burglars who recognized the expensive Louis Vuitton trunks and what may possibly be kept inside by its wealthy owner.[3] To combat this, Georges and his father Louis in 1886 decided to innovate on the lock and create a brand new one.[1][4] After many years Georges was finally able to patent a lock that was so difficult to pick him and Louis Vuitton invited Harry Houdini[4][5] to attempt to escape from a Louis Vuitton trunk which had been made with the new lock.[7] Despite Houdini not accepting the challenge, the lock is still effective at its job and the same patented lock is used by Louis Vuitton today in all its trunks.[7] The new lock was coined the revolutionary new 'Tumbler Lock' and contains two spring buckles[6]

As with most luxury brands, Louis Vuitton does not offer discount prices or rebates to its customers, whether they be new or regular customers. Rather than offering discounts, Georges and his eldest son Gaston-Louis chose to be more generous by gifting loyal and continuing customers with mini Louis Vuitton trunks.[6] The trunks could not be bought or ordered but were gifts given at the choosing of Georges and were delivered to the client's home. The trunks were covered in the typical LV monogram canvas and began around 1910. Inside the canvases, Vuitton would put a bouquet of fresh flowers.[6] The inside of the trunk would contain a zinc tray so as to prevent any damage from water or moisture from the flowers. Receiving these gifts was considered an honor as they were exclusive and could not be bought.[4] After the flowers died, Georges allowed the recipient of the gift to choose how the trunk would be recycled—whether it be for sewing material or as a cigarette box he did not care.[6] Louis Vuitton no longer practices this as the brand has a much larger clientele and continuing to do this would be expensive. Flower trunks, however, are still available as part of their hard-sided collection which can be purchased in-store.[4]

During George's tenure at the helm of Louis Vuitton, he began what is now a large part of Louis Vuitton's marketing: Le Voyage books. Georges created the first travel book published by Louis Vuitton, which has now turned into a 30-city collection of travel guides, including San Francisco, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Cape Town, Berlin and Amsterdam.[10] A matching mobile app has also been created.[11] Georges' book was published only in French in 1901 and centered on Paris, with three original editions existing each at a length of 294 pages.[4] It is incredibly rare, has dimensions of 165mm x 255mm, and has a preface written by French Journalist and Anarchist, Émile Gautier. Its caption translated into English means: "From the most remote times to the present day".[12] The cover of the book was illustrated and signed by French painter and illustrator Charles Henri Pille (1844–1897) depicting a nineteenth-century love of the Middle Ages, and showing Vuitton as trunk makers.[12]

This Champs-Elyseés store was opened under the reign of Georges Vuitton. Coco Chanel was a patron of the store.