Fashion between 1850 and 1910
Louis Vuitton (1854) Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton opened his first store in Paris on Rue Nueve des Capucines, founding Louis Vuitton Malletier (”Louis Vuitton Trunk-Maker”). In 1860, Vuitton opened a larger factory in Asnières-sur-Seine to accommodate increased demand.
Burberry (1856) Thomas Burberry
Opened his own store in Basingstoke, Hampshire. By 1870 the business had become well established and focused on the development of outdoors attire. In 1880 Burberry invented gabardine fabric, which is hardwearing, water-resistant, yet breathable, in which the yarn is waterproofed before weaving. A patent was taken out for this in 1888.
Abercrombie & Fitch (1904) David T. Abercrombie & Ezra H. Fitch
On June 4, 1892, he founded Abercrombie Co. as a small waterfront shop at No.36 South Street in downtown Manhattan, New York; wealthy New York lawyer Ezra Fitch was one of his regular customers.
In 1900, Ezra Fitch, a wealthy New York lawyer, bought a share into Abercrombie’s successfully growing Company. In 1904, it was incorporated and re-named, “Abercrombie & Fitch Co.” Abercrombie later often disputed with Ezra Fitch because he disapproved of Fitch’s invisions of expanding the Company to the general public - Abercrombie wanted to continue the Company as an elite store for the elite outdoorsman in mind. Possibly annoyed, he finally left the Company in 1907, selling his share of it to Ezra Fitch who continued the Company under his own management and liking.
