Indian royals were known for their extravagant taste in luxury. From jewels to the finest textiles, they always strived to add the best to their collection, make their wardrobe the most expensive, add the most ornate jewels to their trunks, and enjoy the most sumptuous banquets-also offering them to their guests.
Among them, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala, Punjab, is known for his exquisite taste in luxury. He and Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda were among the first Indian royals to purchase Louis Vuitton trunks in the early 1900s. Interestingly, the French brand entered the Indian market only in 1999.
Maharaja of Kapurthala and His Extravagant Lifestyle
Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala possessed a refined taste. His jewellery collection included diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and the largest Pukhraj (yellow stone), which was studded in his turban, according to a Times Now report.
But he not only favoured craft but also literature and art. He reportedly first visited Paris when he was 18 years old. Inspired by European architecture, he decided to model the Kapurthala palace after the Grand Palace of Versailles in France.
Louis Vuitton and How the French Luxury Brand Appealed to Indian Royals
Louis Vuitton, a French luxury brand, was founded by Louis Vuitton, who arrived in Paris on foot as a 16-year-old in 1837. When people travelled across Europe and the world using boats, horse-drawn carriages, and trains, they had no sturdy means to carry their essentials. Imagine fine couture and expensive jewels in bags being handled roughly.
He started as an apprentice for Monsieur Marechal, worked with him for 17 years, became the most valued craftsman at his atelier, and then opened his workshop at 4 Rue Neuve-des-Capucines near Place Vendôme, Paris, in 1854. In the same decade, the brand introduced flat-topped trunks, compared to the ones with a curved top, and changed the way the world travelled.
By the end of the 19th century, LV was not merely a brand that made custom luggage-it became a status symbol, synonymous with royalty and novelty. But this is not the story of how Louis Vuitton made LV; it is about the Maharaja of Kapurthala, India's first and probably the most loyal client of the French luxury brand.
Maharaja of Kapurthala and His Favourite Louis Vuitton Trunks
In the 20th century, if anyone knew how to travel in style, it was none other than Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala. Reportedly, he travelled quite frequently, not just across India but also abroad.
Among a few constants on his trips were Louis Vuitton trunks featuring the iconic monogram that completed 130 years since it was first designed in 1896. The stackable trunks were practical and efficient.
In the 1900s, the Maharaja of Kapurthala owned over 60 LV trunks, each customised to his travelling requirements. If you think you can't travel light, the Maharaja of Kapurthala carried his shoes, suits, finest ensembles, swords, turbans, jewels, and other essentials in bespoke luggage carriers fitted with special compartments.
Each of these trunks featured the iconic LV monogram-the interlocking LV initials, a rounded four-petal flower, a four-pointed flower inside a rhombus shape, and a star. The cost of trunks sold in the 1900s is not documented, but today, the price starts at Rs 49.5 lakh and goes up to Rs 99.5 lakh.
Imagine the amount that the Maharaja of Kapurthala invested in purchasing Louis Vuitton trunks back in the early 20th century. In today's times, 60 trunks would amount to somewhere between Rs 30 crore and Rs 60 crore, approximately.
Also Read | Louis Vuitton Celebrates 130 Years Of Its Iconic Monogram Once Loved By Indian Royals
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