Louis Vuitton (1821 – February 27, 1892),[3] eponymous founder of the company,

was born in Jura, France (now part of the commune of Lavans-sur-Valouse). In

1835, he moved to Paris. The trip from his hometown to Paris was over 400

kilometers (249 mi), and he traveled the distance by foot. On his way there, he

picked up a series of odd jobs to pay for his journey. There, he became an

apprentice Layetier to prominent households.[4] Because of his well established

reputation in his fields, Napoleon III of France appointed Vuitton as Layetier

to his wife, Empress Eugénie de Montijo. Through his experience with French

royalty, he developed advanced knowledge of what made a good traveling case. It

was then that he began to design his own luggage, settin