Hermès vs Louis Vuitton: Founders, CEOs and History

Company facts

Founders

CEOs and their tenures

Timeline: Hermès and Louis Vuitton side by side

1. 1837Hermès

   Founding of the Harness Workshop

   Thierry Hermès opens his first workshop on the Grands Boulevards in Paris, specializing in the creation of the finest harnesses, bridles, and reins for the carriages of the European nobility.

2. 1854Louis Vuitton

   First Paris Store Opens

   Louis Vuitton opened his first store at 4 Rue Neuve-des-Capucines in Paris in 1854. The business began with trunks and packing expertise, giving the house a practical travel purpose before it became a broader luxury brand.

3. 1867Louis Vuitton

   Flat-Top Trunk Changes Travel Storage

   The flat-topped trunk made luggage easier to stack and protect during rail and ship travel.

4. 1888Louis Vuitton

   Damier Canvas Is Introduced

   Georges Vuitton introduced Damier canvas with the Vuitton name on the outside of trunks. The pattern mattered because imitation was already a business threat and visible identity became part of product protection.

5. 1889Louis Vuitton

   Multi-Tumbler Lock Is Patented

   Georges Vuitton patented a multi-tumbler lock system designed to protect clients' belongings. The lock reinforced the house's promise that luxury travel goods should be secure as well as recognizable.

6. 1896Louis Vuitton

   LV Monogram Created

   Georges Vuitton created the LV monogram as a tribute to his father and as a response to copied canvas patterns. The design became a durable brand asset, but its visibility also made trademark protection a permanent strategic issue.

7. 1922Hermès

   Introduction of the Leather Handbag

   Under the leadership of Émile Hermès, the house introduces its first leather handbags, inspired by the need for practical, elegant accessories for the new era of the automobile.

8. 1932Louis Vuitton

   Noe Bag Is Designed

   Gaston-Louis Vuitton designed the Noe bag to carry champagne bottles. The milestone matters because it shows how utilitarian travel and hospitality problems became long-running handbag families.

9. 1935Hermès

   Creation of the Sac dépêches (Kelly Bag)

   The house introduces the Sac dépêches, a sleek, leather handbag that would later be renamed the Kelly bag after Grace Kelly was photographed using it to shield her pregnancy in 1956.

10. 1937Hermès

    Launch of the First Silk Scarf

    To celebrate the company's centennial, the house introduces its first silk scarf, the 'Jeu des Omnibus et Dames Blanches', printed on silk sourced from the finest producers in Asia.

11. 1959Louis Vuitton

    Flexible Monogram Canvas Enables Leather Goods Growth

    Claude-Louis Vuitton developed a coating process that made Monogram canvas more suitable for flexible pieces. That technical shift helped move the house deeper into bags and small leather goods beyond rigid luggage.

12. 1984Hermès

    Creation of the Birkin Bag

    Following a chance encounter on a flight between CEO Jean-Louis Dumas and the actress Jane Birkin, the house creates the Birkin bag, a spacious, unstructured leather bag designed for the modern, active woman.

13. 2013Hermès

    Tanneries d'Annonay Acquired

    Hermès bought the Annonay calf-leather tannery in Ardèche, extending its control over leather supply.

14. 2015Hermès

    Tanneries du Puy Acquired

    Hermès Cuirs Précieux acquired long-standing calf-leather supplier Tanneries du Puy, known for box calf.

15. 2018Louis Vuitton

    Virgil Abloh Joins Menswear

    Virgil Abloh joined the house in 2018 and brought streetwear, music, architecture, and inclusivity into the men's collections. His appointment turned menswear into a larger cultural platform for the brand.

16. 2023Louis Vuitton

    Pietro Beccari Becomes CEO

    Pietro Beccari became CEO of Louis Vuitton in February 2023 after leading Fendi and Christian Dior Couture. His role matters because he inherited the house as the luxury cycle cooled and brand elevation became more important than volume growth.

17. 2025Hermès

    ~$18.1B (€16.0B) Revenue and 24th Leather Workshop

    Hermès passed ~$18.1B (€16B) in revenue and opened its 24th leather goods workshop at L'Isle-d'Espagnac.

18. 2025Louis Vuitton

    LVMH Fashion & Leather Goods Reports 37.770B Revenue

    LVMH Fashion & Leather Goods, the segment that includes Louis Vuitton and other maisons, reported 37.770 billion in FY2025 revenue and 13.209 billion in profit from recurring operations. The figure is a segment proxy, not standalone Louis Vuitton revenue.

19. 2026Louis Vuitton

    Beccari Adds LVMH Fashion Group Role

    Effective January 1, 2026, Pietro Beccari became chairman and CEO of the LVMH Fashion Group while remaining chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

20. 2026Louis Vuitton

    Monogram Turns 130

    Louis Vuitton marked the 130th anniversary of the 1896 Monogram, adding the Monogram Emblème and reviving the jacquard canvas used on its first trunks. LVMH also credited new Beijing and Seoul flagships with excellent first-half 2026 performance.

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