CHAPTER 4: HENRY-LOUIS VUITTON, THE UNSUNG ONE

On the left : Odile Racamier, on the right Henry Louis Vuitton.
Busts : on the left, Gaston Louis Vuitton, on the right Georges Vuitton
Portrait in the middle : Louis Vuitton.

Henry-Louis Vuitton was born on 10 August 1911 in Asnières and died on 30 August 2002.
He is the son of Gaston-Louis Vuitton and Renée Versille.
He married Miss Josette Rateau on 15 October 1938. They had 3 children: Colette, Philippe-Louis (deceased), Danièle.

          After studying at Cours St. Louis, he begins an apprenticeship in October 1928 in the Asnières factory, under the authority of his grand-father Georges Vuitton. In January 1929, Georges, who must set off on a long round in the United States, decides to take with him his 18-year old grand-son Henry-Louis, to encourage his beginnings as an apprentice. This will be his first big trip.
After a two-year traineeship during which he worked in every workshop to learn the luggage-maker trade, he starts his sales career at the Champs-Elysées shop where, alongside his grand-father Gaston-Louis Vuitton, he climbs all the rungs and is appointed, as soon as 1930, Sales Manager. He will take on all the responsibilities relating to this position until 1945. From 1945 to 1975, he holds the position of Commercial Director for the whole Company.

          In 1959, a new material which, under certain heat conditions, can be applied on a linen or a cotton canvas, is presented to Gaston-Louis Vuitton. The process is applied at once on the LV canvas which, thus treated, retains all its flexibility and resistance. Very soon Henry-Louis suggests to his father creating a line of soft luggage and a whole range of travel bags for ladies and of small leather goods. Henry-Louis spends long hours cooped up in his office to create from A to Z 25 to 30 new models a year. Some of them are still on sale today.

         In 1969, he leaves for Japan with his wife to open the first Louis Vuitton branch office.
In 1975 he is appointed President of the Board of Managers alongside his brothers-in-law Henry Racamier and Jean Ogliastro and will continue to be so until 1977 when he decides to retire. From 1977, he acts as President of Louis Vuitton Supervisory Board.

Career
1963-1977: President of the “Chambre Syndicale Nationale des Fabricants d’Articles de Voyage »
1963-1977: Vice-President of the “Fédération Nationale de la Maroquinerie et Articles de Voyage »
From 1974 : Member of the « Conseil National du Cuir » Arbitration Chamber
From 1973 : Vice-President of the « Comité Intersyndical des Elections Consulaires ». Appointed President for 1983.

Books :
- La Malle aux Souvenirs en 1984.

Medals:
Officer of the National Order of Merit
Knight of the Order of the Black Star (Benin)
Knight of the Order of the Star of Anjouan

Awards:
1914–1918 Commemorative War Medal
Bronze Medal in Physical education
“Grande Médaille d’Or du Travail”
Vermeil Medal of the “Ville de Paris