The most valuable names in fashion did not start as fashion brands. They started as saddlers, trunk makers and leather workshops serving travellers, riders and royal courts. Almost two centuries later, the bags they sell still carry the shapes and details of those first trades.
This article looks at the oldest luxury leather goods houses still in business, what made them last, and why their codes matter to every boutique buyer, even one who will never stock them.
The houses that started it all
The list below shows when each house was founded and what it first made. Founding dates come from the brands and from our Brand Intelligence Database (October 2026).
| Founded | House | City | First trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1829 | Delvaux | Brussels | Travel goods |
| 1837 | Hermès | Paris | Harnesses and saddles |
| 1846 | Loewe | Madrid | Leather workshop |
| 1853 | Goyard | Paris | Trunks |
| 1854 | Louis Vuitton | Paris | Trunks |
| 1856 | Burberry | England | Outdoor clothing |
| 1876 | Lancel | Paris | Accessories and leather goods |
| 1898 | Le Tanneur | Paris | Leather goods |
| 1913 | Prada | Milan | Leather goods and luggage |
| 1920 | Tod’s | Marche, Italy | Footwear and leather |
| 1921 | Gucci | Florence | Leather goods and luggage |
| 1925 | Fendi | Rome | Fur and leather |
| 1927 | Salvatore Ferragamo | Florence | Shoes |
Delvaux, 1829: the oldest of all
Charles Delvaux opened his travel goods workshop in Brussels in 1829, and the house describes itself as the oldest fine leather goods house in the world. In 1883 it became official supplier to the Belgian Royal Court (Delvaux). Delvaux is still less famous than its French neighbours, which shows that age alone does not build a global brand.
Hermès, 1837: from the stable to the handbag
Thierry Hermès founded his Paris workshop in 1837 to make harnesses and saddles. The stitching, the closures and the structured shapes of horse equipment moved into bags in the twentieth century. Today Hermès sells only through its own boutiques, around 300 worldwide, and does not sell leather goods to other retailers.
Goyard and Louis Vuitton: the trunk makers
In the 1850s Paris travellers needed light, strong trunks. Goyard and Louis Vuitton built their names on painted canvas and wooden frames. The trunk survives in today’s boxy top-handle bags, reinforced corners and metal locks.
Loewe, Burberry, Lancel: three other nineteenth-century survivors
Loewe began as a leather workshop in Madrid in 1846 and still makes much of its production in Spain. Burberry, founded in 1856, built its fame on outerwear and added leather goods later. Lancel, founded in Paris in 1876, is now part of Italy’s Piquadro group.
Italy’s twentieth-century houses
Italy arrived later but made up for it fast. Prada opened in Milan in 1913 selling leather goods and luggage. Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921, and Salvatore Ferragamo settled in the same city in 1927. Fendi opened in Rome in 1925.
Florence matters here. Gucci drew on Florentine saddlery and equestrian codes for its famous horsebit. Ferragamo built a shoe empire on Tuscan craftsmanship. A century later, the Florence district is still one of the world’s main leather goods production areas, working for global brands and for independent labels alike.
What made them last
Four things are common to almost every house on the list.
- A real function at the start. Saddles, trunks, travel cases. The products solved a problem before they became a status symbol.
- A few recognisable codes. A closure, a canvas pattern, a stitch, a shape. Repeated for decades, they became the brand.
- Control of distribution. Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Goyard sell almost only through their own stores. Scarcity protects the price.
- Continuity of craft. Workshops, leather and skills passed from one generation to the next.
Why this matters to a boutique buyer
Here is the paradox. The oldest houses shaped what customers want in a bag, but most of them will never sell to a boutique. Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel and Goyard keep their leather goods in their own stores.
What a boutique can sell is the heritage those houses created: shapes that have worked for a hundred years and still feel right.
- The structured top-handle bag, descended from saddlery and travel cases.
- The doctor and bowling bag, with a rounded frame and a double handle.
- The boxy trunk-inspired bag with reinforced corners and a metal closure.
- The saddle-shaped shoulder bag with a curved flap.
These shapes sell every season, in every age group, and they reward good leather and careful construction more than trends do. They are the safest base for any assortment.
Heritage shapes from Florence
Massimo Castelli designs and supplies leather bags from Florence, the city where Gucci and Ferragamo started. Our collections include the classic families that the old houses made famous:
- Top handle: structured bags in the saddlery tradition.
- Bowling bags: rounded, double-handle shapes.
- Office & Classic: timeless work bags.
- Fall Winter 26/27: the new season’s interpretation of these codes.
Orders start at €300, with models and colours mixed freely. Register for a free trade account to see trade prices.
Heritage details that still sell
Beyond the overall shape, a few small details carry the heritage of the old houses. Customers may not know where they come from, but they read them as quality:
- Turn-lock and push-lock closures, descended from trunk and saddle hardware.
- Visible saddle stitching and painted edges that show the work of the hand.
- Structured bases and metal feet that protect the bag, as on a trunk.
- Double rolled handles that keep their shape over years of use.
- Small padlocks and key charms, a direct echo of travel luggage.
When you select a classic model, check these details first. A structured top-handle bag with clean edges, a solid closure and a well-made handle will sell for years; the same shape with weak hardware will not.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest luxury leather goods brand in the world? Delvaux, founded in Brussels in 1829, describes itself as the oldest fine leather goods house in the world.
Is Hermès older than Louis Vuitton? Yes. Hermès was founded in Paris in 1837, Louis Vuitton in 1854.
Which is the oldest Italian house in this list? Prada, opened in Milan in 1913, followed by Tod’s (1920), Gucci (Florence, 1921), Fendi (Rome, 1925) and Salvatore Ferragamo (Florence, 1927).
Can a boutique buy Hermès or Louis Vuitton bags wholesale? No. Both sell their leather goods only through their own stores. Boutiques can offer the same classic shapes, such as top-handle, bowling and trunk-inspired bags, from independent leather producers.
The bottom line
The oldest luxury houses teach one lesson above all: shapes that serve a purpose outlive trends. A boutique that builds its range on those shapes, in good leather, sells them season after season.
