Louis Vuitton

Date Founded: 1854
Most Notable Designers: Louis Vuitton (1854 - 1892), Marc Jacobs (1997 - present)
Muses Throughout History: Empress Eugenie, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Sofia Coppola, Arizona Muse
Most Famous Contribution To Fashion: Louis Vuitton's stackable luggage is a jet-setter's holy grail, and its monogrammed shoulder bags are some of the most iconic purses today. In the past decade, designer Marc Jacobs has linked Louis Vuitton with contemporary artists like Stephen Sprouse, Yayoi Kusama, and Takashi Murakami, which has inspired other brands to forge similar partnerships.
House Drama: Vuitton provided goods for and worked closely with Nazis during WWII. In 2010, the brand's ad campaigns were labeled as false advertising (ads suggested that all bags are entirely hand-sewn, yet sewing machines are used in certain stages of production).

Illustrations by Gabriela Alford