1.（法国）路易·威登 Louis Vuitton
品牌名片
品类：箱包、成衣、腕表、珠宝
标志风格：时尚、高雅
创始人：路易·威登（Louis Vuitton）
诞生地：法国
诞生时间：1854年
百年历史的路易·威登，旅行箱超凡脱俗，定制的皮革时装高雅独特，成为享誉全球的品牌。
品牌阅读
Louis Vuittons heritage as a trunk maker preceded even the founding of the company. It was in 1837 that a 16-year-old Louis Vuitton arrived in Paris by foot and started apprenticing for Monsieur Marechal. At the time， horse-drawn carriages， boats and trains were the main modes of transportation， and baggage was handled roughly. Travelers called upon craftsmen to pack and protect their individual objects. Louis Vuitton quickly became a valued craftsman at the Parisian atelier of Monsieur Marechal. These were the roots of his highly specialized trade， the beginnings of his career in an artisanal industry that called upon skills to custom design boxes and， later， trunks according to clients wishes. Louis Vuitton stayed for 17 years before opening his own workshop at 4 Rue Neuve-Capucines near the Place Vendome.
The early success of Louis Vuitton meant he had to expand his operations. This led to the 1859 opening of his atelier in Asnieres， just northeast of the center of Paris. The workshop started with 20 employees. In 1900， there were nearly 100 people and by 1914 there were 225. The original atelier has been expanded throughout the decades-including the addition of the Vuitton family residence-but it is still where products are crafted today. While the family home has been preserved and is part of a private museum， 170 craftsmen work in the Asnieres workshop， designing and creating leather goods and special orders for clients around the world.
At that time， travelers carried all their essentials inside wardrobes and flat trunks， which， unfortunately， often attracted burglars. Master trunk maker， Louis Vuitton sought to help his clients protect the goods inside their travel pieces.
In 1886， father and son， Georges， adopted a single lock system with two spring buckles. After several years of development， George patented this revolutionary system. It was so effective that he challenged Harry Houdini， the great American escape artist， in a public newspaper to escape from a Vuitton box and lock. Houdini didnt rise to the challenge， but the locks effectiveness is indisputable. It is still used today.
To celebrate 100th anniversary of the Monogram canvas in 1996， Louis Vuitton invited designers to create unique pieces of luggage. The resulting collection was then exhibited in the worlds great capitals， bringing the brands spirit of innovation and collaboration to fashion lovers across the globe.
artisanal [ɑtznl] adj. 手工艺性的
atelier [tliei] n. 工作室
indisputable [，indispju：tbl] adj. 无争议的
路易·威登在尚未成立公司之前，便因制作旅行箱而为人所熟知。1837年，年仅十六岁的路易·威登徒步前往巴黎，并当上马雷复尔先生的学徒。当时，马车、轮船和火车是主要的交通工具，行李则经常受到碰撞而磨损。因此，不少旅客要求工匠将行李打包以保护他们的个人物品。路易·威登很快便成为马雷复尔先生位于巴黎工作坊的一名重要工匠。这不仅为他日后专注于硬箱制造奠定了基础，更成为他传奇事业的开始。他凭借精湛的技艺，最初为顾客订制旅行箱，继而按顾客需求制作出各式各样的硬箱。路易·威登在此工作了十七年后，在芳登广场附近的Neuve-Capucines大道四号开设了首间工作室。
路易·威登取得成功后，遂着手扩充业务，并于1859年在巴黎市中心东北方向的Asnieres开设了首间工厂。Asnieres工厂初期聘请了20名员工。1900年，工厂的工匠接近100人，直至1914年便达到了225人。Asnieres工厂在过去数十年不断扩展，当中包括附加的威登家族的宅第部分，但工厂仍然是路易·威登产品的生产基地。家族大宅现已保留成为博物馆的一部分，170名工匠继续驻守工作坊，为世界各地的顾客设计并制作皮革制品及特别订制产品。
那时，旅客都会将所有必需品置于衣柜和箱子中，但这经常引来鼠窃之辈的垂涎。于是，拥有超凡制箱技艺的路易·威登便寻求方法，帮助顾客保护行李内的财物。
1886年，路易·威登和儿子乔治合力研发出一套配备两个弹簧扣的单锁系统。经过数年的发展，乔治为这个革命性的系统申请了专利，并公开在报纸上挑战美国脱逃大师哈利·胡迪尼，要他从路易·威登的箱子和箱锁系统中逃脱。胡迪尼并没有接受挑战，但这套系统的效用却是毋庸置疑的，时至今天仍然被广泛使用。
为庆祝Monogram帆布系列诞生一百周年，路易·威登于1996年诚邀设计师创作独一无二的旅行箱包。各大师的作品于世界各国的首都巡回展出，与全球时装爱好者一同分享品牌的创新和合作精神。
2.（法国）香奈儿 Chanel
品牌名片
品类：时装、成衣、化妆品、配饰、鞋
标志风格：高贵、高雅
创始人：
嘉柏丽尔·香奈儿（Gabrielle Chanel）
诞生地：法国
诞生时间：1913年
当今香奈儿已成为时尚领先锋，产品包括服饰，化妆品，珠
宝等。
品牌阅读
Gabrielle Chanel was born in Saumur (France) on August 19th 1883 under the sign of Leo to parents of a modest background. In 1910， she opened her first shop at 21 rue Cambon in Paris， creating hats under the name “CHANEL Modes”. Favored by the most famous French actresses of the time， her designs helped to establish her reputation. Gabrielle Chanels simple elegant style of dress created a sensation， and was soon imitated by all of Paris.
Gabrielle Chanel opened a new boutique in Deauville， France in 1913， and introduced a collection of sportswear. Her line of jersey garments proved revolutionary and changed womens relationships with their bodies and their ways of life. It was an immediate success. In 1915， Her reputation was now firmly established and Mademoiselle Chanel opened her first Couture House in Biarritz， France.
In 1921， Mademoiselle Chanel unveiled her first fragrance， the iconic CHANEL N°5. Created by Ernest Beaux， former perfumer to the Czars， N°5 was so called because it was the fifth scent presented to Mademoiselle Chanel. A truly timeless classic， N°5 remains the ultimate symbol of femininity. In 1924， CHANEL presented the first makeup collection， featuring lip colours and face powders. In the same year， the “Société des Parfums CHANEL” was founded and was dedicated to creating unique fragrances and beauty products.
In 1940s， Gabrielle Chanel was at the height of her fame. She employed 4，000 workers and owned five boutiques on rue Cambon in Paris. But when the World War II broke out， the House of CHANEL was compelled to closure. Among the five boutiques on rue Cambon， only one remained open： the store at number 31， where perfumes and accessories continued to be in high demand among Parisians and American soldiers alike.
At the age of 71， Gabrielle Chanel staged the grand re-opening of her Couture House. Tired of the fashions of the time， she inspired a second fashion revolution with her original creations.
