Behind the Name: Introducing Louis Vuitton's Most Iconic Purses (2)
Updated: May 27, 2021
Since the first installment of our new "Behind the Name" section was so well received, we decided to come back with even more bags! This time we'll cover the origin of some of Louis Vuitton's least known but equally fascinating bag names out there.
The eclectic one: Drouot
This time for the first entry, I'm going to talk about the... Drouot!
As usual Drouot, is the name of a street in the middle of Paris. Named after Napoleon's army general, the street is mostly known for two notable places.
The first one was called the "Golf-Drouot" but unfortunately, it doesn't exist anymore.
Despite the name, the Golf-Drouot wasn't a golf club, but the first French rock'n'roll nightclub for the golden youth of Paris! For this reason, it has also been referred as "Le Temple du Rock" (=The Temple of Rock).
In activity between 1955 and 1981, many French rock singers, heavily influenced by what was popular in the US at the time, started their career here and they all had US inspired names like "Johnny Hallyday" or "Eddy Mitchell"!
Famous international bands or singers like The Who or David Bowie also performed in this place.
Photo by David Niviere
The second notable place in this street is called "Hôtel Drouot" and it is a synonym for antiques and luxury. In fact, this place is the most famous auction house in Paris, if not the whole country! Specialized in French and international art, this is also the place where LV holds auctions for charitable fundraisers. Fun fact: a section of the Eiffel tower's stairs has been sold in auctions in this place!
The evocative one: Honfleur
Next, we are going to leave Paris a little, and travel 185km North West of the capital, because we are going to talk about the... Louis Vuitton Honfleur!
Before being the name of a super cute epi clutch bag, Honfleur is the name of a lovely city located in France's Normandy region.
Photo by Christophe Finot
The city is mainly famous for its old harbor, called "Le vieux Bassin", surrounded by old but beautiful houses with slate-covered colorful frontages.
Thanks to its picturesque district, the small city has been painted by numerous artists through the years: Monet, Courbet, Boudin... and nowadays it is still a place loved by photographers.
Photo by René Hourdry
Even if the size of the city is really small (only 7138 inhabitants), it boasts an important number of art museums and stores. Its relatively close proximity with the French capital makes Honfleur a very appreciated weekend destination for the Parisians.
The idyllic one: Tuilerie
Finally, we are going to talk about the... Tuilerie!
What is this iconic bag named after?
If there is a place to sunbath on a warm afternoon in Paris, it is really the "Jardin des Tuileries" (Tuileries garden). But did you know that this was the name of a spacious palace in the very middle of Paris, next the the Seine river?
Photo by Martin Robson
For a short moment during the 19th century this palace was connected to the Louvre (which wasn't yet the famous museum it is nowadays!) before being totally destroyed during the French revolution.
Photo by Martin Falbisoner
Nowadays, the Tuileries only refers to the garden located between the very end of the Champs-Elysées and the Louvre Museum. This is like the Central Park of Paris: a place to sit and spend an afternoon, do a picnic on the grass or watch the miniature boats in the pools.
What do you think about the Tuileries bag? Does it embody the regal meaning of its name?