Where Are Louis Vuitton Bags Made? A Complete Guide
Ever wondered why on some Louis Vuitton bags it says “Made in France”, while on others it says “Made in Spain”, or even “Made in USA”? Well, wonder no more, as in this blog post we are going to explore where Louis Vuitton bags are made!
The History of Louis Vuitton Handbags
The story of Louis Vuitton’s handbags begins in 1854 when at that time young and ambitious Louis Vuitton decided to open a trunk-making workshop in Paris, France. So, the first Louis Vuitton bags weren’t actual handbags, but rather trunks. However, it all has changed in 1892 when Louis’s son — Georges Vuitton became the new head of the house.
As the story goes, when Georges Vuitton introduced the now-iconic LV Monogram pattern in 1896, he attracted the attention of the one and only Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who approached him with a request to create a handbag specifically for her that she could use not just for travel, but also in her day-to-day life. Georges Vuitton gladly took on the task and in 1925 presented Chanel with a dome-shaped handbag intended for everyday use — the style that we all know today as the Louis Vuitton Alma. Though it should be noted that the handbag only became available to the general public in 1934. Allegedly, that’s when Coco Chanel finally gave the brand permission to mass-produce it.
However, it wasn’t like the Alma was the first ever mass-produced Louis Vuitton handbag intended for everyday use. Earlier in 1930, the brand has already released the iconic Speedy, which was an everyday interpretation of one of Louis Vuitton’s most emblematic travel bags, the Keepall. Then, in 1932, Louis Vuitton has also introduced the Noe — the world’s first ever luxury bucket bag (though it was originally intended as a carrier for champagne bottles). And the brand has never stopped since. In fact, I don’t think anyone will be able to tell how many different Louis Vuitton handbag styles have been released since 1930. Just because there have really been so many. Hence why today Louis Vuitton is known as one of the biggest luxury handbag manufacturers in the World.
Where Are Louis Vuitton Bags Made?
As it stems from the brand’s history, the first Louis Vuitton bags were indeed made in France. In fact, that’s where the brand continues to manufacture most of its bags till this day. However, in addition to France, Louis Vuitton bags these days are also manufactured in other countries — namely, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United States. That’s because Louis Vuitton is simply no longer able to keep up with the consumer demand if they carry on manufacturing their bags exclusively in France.
With that being said, Louis Vuitton bags that are made in the U.S., Italy, or Spain don’t differ in anything from the Louis Vuitton bags made in France. The thing is that unlike other brands that outsource their manufacturing to other companies, Louis Vuitton prefers to keep their production in-house, which means that the company actually owns all the workshops where their items are being produced, including those that are located abroad. And just so you know, Louis Vuitton currently operates over 25 leather workshops around the world, including 18 in France, 4 in Spain, 3 in the U.S. and 2 in Italy.
Are Louis Vuitton Bags Made in China?
Unlike some other luxury brands that outsource their manufacturing to China, Louis Vuitton prefers to keep their production in the western part of the World. Specifically France, Spain, U.S., Germany, Italy and Switzerland (Louis Vuitton watches and jewelry are also made in Switzerland). So no, Louis Vuitton doesn’t make anything in China. In fact, if you ever see a “Made in China” tag on any Louis Vuitton handbag, or other LV item, it’s almost certainly a fake.
Is my Louis Vuitton Bag fake if it wasn’t made in France?
As mentioned earlier, besides France, Louis Vuitton also makes their handbags (and their other leather goods) in Italy, Spain, Germany and the United States. So, no, your Louis Vuitton isn’t necessarily fake if it wasn’t made in France.
With that being said, you should never solely rely on the “made in” tag for verification of your handbag’s authenticity. And especially, if you have purchased your LV handbag pre-loved. In fact, if you have chosen to purchase your LV handbag through a reseller, I highly recommend getting it authenticated — just for an extra peace of mind!
Are Louis Vuitton Bags Made in the USA?
At the time of writing this blog post, Louis Vuitton has three workshops in the United States: two in California and one in Texas. So, yes, Louis Vuitton Bags are indeed made in the USA. In fact, if you are going to buy your handbag from a Louis Vuitton boutique within the U.S. chances are that it will most likely come with the “Made in USA” stamp, as the Louis Vuitton workshops that are located in the USA specialize specifically on the production of leather and canvas items.
Are Louis Vuitton Bags Made in France better than those made in other countries?
Not sure where this assumption came from, but some people believe that Louis Vuitton bags that are made in France are of better quality than those produced in other countries. As you might have already guessed, this is not true.
Remember, I’ve previously said that Louis Vuitton owns all the workshops where their items are being produced? Well, the truth is that the brand not just owns, but also operates all of those workshops, which means that they actually control each and every step of the manufacturing process, from the choice of raw materials to the hiring of labour.
Quite frankly, Louis Vuitton products that are made outside of France are made from the same materials as those that are produced in France. Yes, Louis Vuitton is really that meticulous when it comes to the choice of materials. Not even to mention that all Louis Vuitton artisans have to go through rigorous in-house training before they are allowed to start working for the brand.
How to buy a Louis Vuitton Bag made in specific country?
If you want to get your hands on a Louis Vuitton bag made in a specific country, your best call is to go to a Louis Vuitton boutique in that country. The thing is that French Louis Vuitton boutiques are more likely to stock the bags that are made in France, than the bags made in other countries due to the lack of import-related expenses and low transportation costs. The same goes true for Louis Vuitton handbags made in the U.S. and other countries.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t purchase a “Made in France” Louis Vuitton bag in the U.S., for example. Made in France LV bags are still being exported abroad, it’s just that locally made Louis Vuitton items are going to prevail in countries where Louis Vuitton has production.
Is my Louis Vuitton bag fake if it’s missing the “made in” info?
A couple of weeks ago, I’ve received an email from one of my readers who has recently noticed that her freshly purchased Louis Vuitton Speedy 25 Bag doesn’t have the “made in” stamp. The woman was worried that her handbag might be fake (even though it was purchased at the Louis Vuitton New York City SoHo boutique) and has asked for my opinion. And even though I did respond to her personally, I thought I’d also duplicate my answer here, so that anyone else who encounters a similar problem in the future is able to find the answer straight away.
So, is your Louis Vuitton fake if it’s missing the “made in” info from the tag? Well, the answer is not necessarily. The thing is that Louis Vuitton bags and other leather goods that are made in the USA, these days often come without the “made in” stamp on their tags. And not sure exactly why at Louis Vuitton they thought it was a good idea to ditch the made in stamp, but the rumor is that this was done in order to stop U.S. customers from requesting “made in France” bags. However, this might also be due to the fact that in order for the product to be able to claim “Made in the USA”, virtually all the materials that it is made of must be of U.S. origin. And as we all know, Louis Vuitton bags that are produced in the USA are made from imported materials.
