Louis Vuitton Luggage Trunk
After early success in outfitting royalty and Parisian high-society with hand-made travelers’ trunks, Louis Vuitton decided to open his own business in 1854. He made the crucial choice to cover his trunks with durable, waterproof-coated canvas. In 1858, he released his unique trunk featuring grey canvas, a flat lid, metal corners and an interior with tray compartments not only for clothes, but other elegant accessories that needed careful transport. The trunk was so popular that Vuitton created a red and beige striped logo design to thwart imitators. In 1888, Vuitton’s son, Georges, introduced a distinctive checkerboard print in brown and beige with “L. Vuitton” puncturing the design at regular intervals, a pattern now idolized by designers and consumers alike. This pattern inspired both the modern-day Damier line and the iconic Monogram canvas trunk, created in 1896, which is recognized globally as a symbol of posh travels —E.Z.
Available at: Saks Fifth Avenue, Biltmore Fashion Park; Louis Vuitton, Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Ray-Ban Wayfarers
First commissioned by the united states air force in 1937, Ray-Ban created two of the most imitated sunglass designs known today: the Aviator and the Wayfarer. First available to the public in 1953, the Wayfarer gained fame from popular movies and celebrities, reportedly making it the best-selling style in history. First seen in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and on James Dean, Bob Dylan and Marilyn Monroe in the 1950’s and 60’s, the glasses gained instant followers. However, a drop in sales left the Wayfarer out of sight until a short revival in the late 1980’s with appearances in movie and television classics, including “Risky Business” and “Miami Vice.” It wasn’t until the late 2000’s with famous fans Chloë Sevigny and Mary-Kate Olsen that Wayfarers skyrocketed to cult status again. Ray-Ban quickly moved with the trends by manufacturing the original design in “colorized” versions, thereby bringing back an American icon. —E.Z.
Available at: Barneys New York, Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Burberry Trench Coat
Commissioned in 1914 by the British War Office to create a coat for new battle requirements, Thomas Burberry expanded on his original waterproof, tear-proof Tielocken coat by adding epaulets and ‘D’rings, and thus the trench coat was born. The trench coat gained favor with explorers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to its quality and longevity, but the trademarked Burberry Check didn’t grace the inside of the coat until the 1920’s. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the coat gained mass popularity among civilians, mostly because of the Burberry Check’s growing fame. Worn in the brand’s ad campaigns by stars like Agyness Deyn and Kate Moss, this famous coat has become a closet staple, and has paved the way for many trench coat imitators. _E.Z.
Available at: Neiman Marcus; Burberry, Scottsdale Fashion Square.
