Louis Vuitton Evening Bags and Minaudières

Authentic Louis Vuitton bags — including the brand’s new and vintage handbags and purses, crossbody bags, shoulder bags and tote bags — are distinctive and sumptuous, made of top-notch leathers and materials. The legendary house is a world leader in luxury fashion heralded for creative exploration, ingenuity and bold designs.

Louis Vuitton was founded in Paris in 1854 as a luggage company that produced stackable and rectangular trunks. The brand eventually expanded, and the first iconic LV Monogram pattern appeared on its luggage in 1896. Today, the famous Monogram canvas is found on many styles of original Louis Vuitton handbags, travel bags and accessories, and the logo plays a role in determining if an LV bag is real.

Part of knowing how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton handbag pertains to the logo. You can be sure that the brand takes the greatest care with its presentation, and there will be no tilting of the logo or smudging on its legendary bags. And although Louis Vuitton may use different linings for different collections of its handbags, Monogram canvas bags are generally lined in brown cotton and Damier Ebene Canvas bags are historically lined in red microfiber. Stitching is important, too — expect perfection when it comes to the stitching on an authentic Louis Vuitton bag. Anything less won’t leave the workshop floor. For example, on authentic Louis Vuitton Alma, Speedy and Neverfull bags there will be five stitches across each of the tabs where the handles are secured.

Some iconic signature Louis Vuitton bags include the Speedy, Steamer and Keepall. When introduced, in 1932, Louis Vuitton’s coated-canvas Speedy was aimed at a travel-savvy elite crowd. In 1965, Audrey Hepburn requested a smaller version, and the Speedy 25 was born.

Starting in 1997, the firm brought out several variations on the Speedy, with seasonal updates in color and surface decoration. Over the years, Louis Vuitton has earned accolades (and gained new fans) for partnerships that meld fashion with art. Notably, a collaboration with Stephen Sprouse resulted in a graffiti version, which debuted in 2000 and was reissued in 2009. This cooperative model has become a mainstay of the venerable brand, whose creative partners have ranged from artists Richard Price, Jeff Koons and Urs Fischer to fashion icon Grace Coddington. And the legacy was carried on by the late Virgil Abloh, who took over as men’s artistic director in 2018.

Find a collection of authentic Louis Vuitton handbags, top handle bags, clutches, travel bags and other items on 1stDibs.