Louis Vuitton - Rabec Rayee Trunk

This trunk is one of the rarest and most beautiful pieces in our collection, with a history intertwined with that of Emile Rabec, one of Louis Vuitton's early collaborators. 

Louis Vuitton established his company in the second half of the 1850s, and in 1859, he purchased land in Asnières and opened his factory. Among his first collaborators was Emile Rabec, who swiftly rose to become his right-hand man in production. Vuitton, a visionary entrepreneur known for his unwavering support of his workers and a skilled and valued manager, decided to reward Mr. Rabec. In 1861, he granted Emile the opportunity to open a Vuitton branch on Avenue Champs Elysées dedicated to the coolest and most fashionable products of the line – the era's most experimental capsule collections. These innovative leather designs boasted unique shapes and forms. In the case of this particular trunk, it is a standard-sized Malle Courrier in striped canvas, adorned with a beautiful original internal label. To truly appreciate the innovation and experimentation of Rabec's design, one should take a closer look at the label, observing the various fonts and writing styles that foreshadowed forms and lines that would become fashionable many years later.