In 1889, all of Paris was abuzz with the approaching Universal Exposition that would be held that year from May 5 to October 31. This would be a special one; for the centennial of the French Revolution, Parisians and visitors were promised unparalleled novelties. An art nouveau iron construction would soon tower over Paris. It was in this context that Georges Vuitton, Louisâ son, imagined a more complex print than striped canvas: a checkerboard âdamierâ canvas where the signature âL. Vuitton, marque dĂ©posĂ©eâ, would be inscribed. As old as the Eiffel Tower, the damier canvas was born in this period of great creativity.
France and its technical and aesthetic prowesses were the envy of the day. Take for instance Louis Vuittonâs pieces – while it may seem obvious to us today that counterfeiting is a fact of life for the brand, this tumultuous relationship actually begin in the late 19th century. When the labelâs heir imagined the damier canvas, it was to nip imposters in the bud. This canvas was imagined to distinguish the label, protect it, but also to allow the onlooker to distinguish Louis Vuitton trunks upon first glance. Later on, the brand would develop an unpickable lock that only one key and one alone would be able to open.
Solid, supple, and completely waterproof, the damier canvas was at first woven – it was only with the appearance of coated canvases that damier became a print of its own. It maintains a deceptive appearance of woven braids allowing for its famous inscription to appear intermittently. One of Louis Vuittonâs exclusive codes alongside the monogram, the damier motif illustrates the brandâs strength, and the visionary character of the founder as well as his successors. And yet, the brand would cease production of the Damier canvas in 1896; it wasnât until 1996, 100 years later, that the trunker reunited with its original spirit with the arrival of Marc Jacobs. Ever since, the canvas was reintroduced in collections called âDamier ĂbĂšneâ – the success was immediate and sensational. A number of damier canvases have been imagined since: Damier Azur, Damier Graphite for the canvasâ 120th anniversary, Damier Infini made of embossed leather, and Damier AventureâŠ
In 2001, after September 11, Mrac Jacobs decided to repaint the legendary damier canvas. Takashi Murakami would take on the task; it was a pure triumph. In 2013, the brand released a collection as an homage to its iconic canvas – with the collaboration of Daniel Buren for the scenography, Marc Jacobs launched a myriad of pieces with spectacular geometry, all traced back to the damier canvas, on the runway. The creative director imagined damier as âa motif in motion, a rhythm, a mathematical equation, a kind of perpetual movement and change.â Since then, Nicolas GhesquiĂšre has found himself at the helm of Louis Vuittonâs creations. For Spring/Summer 2017, he once more reinvented the legendary damier assembly in an avant-garde dress. This is just one more way to prove the inexhaustible source of inspiration that is the damier canvas, an iconic motif of the creations coming from 101 Avenue des Champs-ĂlysĂ©es.
Louis Vuittonâs Damier motif: Key dates
1888 : After the Trianon and the RayĂ©e canvas Louis Vuitton gives birth to his last creation before the death: the Damier motif in beige and brown. Itâs not only an aesthetic choice, but also a move again the counterfeiting: inside the little beige squares he prints the phrase âL. Vuitton registered trademarkâ. Together with the beige and brown motif Vuitton also experiments a rarer red checkered motif (dark red dots over a dark brown background) and a grey-black one.
1889 : The Damier Canvas becomes an icon during the Paris World Fair.
1996 : Almost one century later the iconic Damier with the registered trademark is newly introduced on handbags and trunks as the Damier EbĂšne.
1998 â 2002 : The Damier Motif Vernis Cabaret Club limited edition is born. It will be produced in two main variants: the black and the Amarante.
2006 : Inspired to the colors of the French Riviera, LV creates the Damier Azur variant.
2007 : The Neverfull, traditionally manufactured avec the LV Monogram, hosts for the first time the Damier Azur and EbĂšne motifs.
2008 : Precisely 120 years after the Damierâs birth Louis Vuitton launches the Damier Graphite motif, dedicated to the masculine lines.
2011 : Louis Vuitton launches the first version in fluorescent embossed leather of the Damier motif, named Damier Infini.
2012 : Louis Vuitton creates two sport-oriented nylon versions of the Damier motif: Damier Challenge and Damier Aventure.
2013 : Marc Jacobs and Daniel Buren make a revolutionary move bringing the Damier motifs on the clothes for the Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection.
2013 : The Damier becomes a must for shop windows and LV stores.
2014 The Petite Malle is launched: a Damier version couldnât lack.
2014 : LV launches the Damier Cobalt, a line dedicated to men.
2014 : The Louis Vuitton foundationâs building adopts the Damier Motif.
2014 : A new revolutionary move: the Damier motif appears in a variety of colours with the Damier Couleurs.
2015 : LV creates a limited edition of the Damier inspired to the work of the artist Christopher Nemeth.
2017 : Damier is again protagonist in the ready-to-wear collection Spring/Summer.
2017 : The Damier Tahitienne motif is born.
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