Another year, another fashion season with new trends and collections but more than a century old, some luxurious brands exist in the business even today. Not only exist, they rule. Gucci, Prada, Chanel, LV and many more brands have been the most popular all over the globe. They have witnessed a change in fashion, lifestyle, economies and trends; rather generations. To their goodwill, the brands have stayed relevant and top notch with quality products. Here is a list of world’s top oldest luxury brands-

Hermes (1837)

The luxury fashion house from Paris, the fashion capital of the world known for its high quality craftsmanship. The founder Thierry Hermes started with a harness and bridles shop which served the European noblemen. With time, Hermes became specialized in leather and silk goods, accessories and clothing, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry and watches. The company was the first to use zippers in leather goods and clothing in France. The scarves and neckties of the brand are very popular apart from its Birkin and Kelly bags.

Despite the decline, the company could revamp and grow itself. From the 1950s, the logo of Hermes has been a ducal horse drawn carriage.

Patek Phillippe (1839)

The Swiss luxury watch brand and clock manufacturer from Geneva, Switzerland is one of the oldest and prestigious in the world. The company started with manufacturing pocket watches. It designs and manufactures movements, timepieces as well as complex mechanical watches and their components as well. The intricate craftsmanship and the exclusive collection of the watchmaker is simply unmatchable. By July 2023, nine Patek Phillippe watches were among the world’s ten most expensive watches ever sold at the auctions.

Patek Phillippe stands true to its 1996 campaign slogan, “You never actually own a Patek Phillippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.”

Cartier (1847)

The luxury brand from France, Cartier designs, manufactures, sells and distributes goods ranging from jewelry, watches, leather products, eyeglasses to sunglasses. The vast operations of Cartier are spread over more than 200 stores in 125 countries. Paris, London and New York have historical maisons (temples). Cartier is one of the most valuable and prestigious luxury brands of the world. It has been issued warrants to craft designs for the highest royalty of the world. King Edward VII even referred it as, “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers.”

Louis Vuitton (1854)

The Louis Vuitton fashion house is a luxury brand started in France with the LV monogram showcased on the label’s products. Today, it is the world’s leading valuable fashion brand offering a range of products like luxury bags, ready to wear clothing, sunglasses, shoes, perfumes, watches, jewelry and other accessories.

LV sells its products via standalone boutiques, lease departments in the high-end departmental stores, and its website’s e-commerce section. It has an image of being the status symbol. LV has manufactured some of the most iconic bags to the world. The trunks of Louis Vuitton are handmade. For six years (2006-2012), LV was named as the world’s most valuable luxury brand.

Bvlgari or Bulgari (1884)

Bulgari is an Italian luxury house headquartered in Rome. It is known for its watches, jewelry, perfumes, leather goods and other accessories. In 2011, Bulgari was acquired by LVMH, so basically it is now owned by Louis Vuitton. It was started by a silversmith, Sotirios Voulgaris as a jewelry vendor. Over time, it became a top luxury brand with stores all over the world. Sometimes, Bulgari partners with other entities to design and manufacture its products. It has also entered in the hospitality chain with Bulgari hotel and resorts.

Lanvin (1889)

It was founded by Jeanne Lanvin in France. Currently, it is a subsidiary of the Shanghai based Lanvin group. Lanvin was started as a millinery shop, then as a children clothing line and finally switching over to women’s clothing. Eventually, it made perfumes, men’s clothing, foot wear, bags and lingerie too. The logo of Lanvin is inspired by a picture of Jeanne and her daughter wearing matching outfits at a costume ball in 1927. Since 2021, Lanvin is managed by an Indian CEO Siddhartha Shukla.

Van Cleef & Arpels (1896)

The luxury jewelry company was founded by a Dutch diamond cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in- law Salomon Arpels in Paris. The company designs and manufactures jewelry, watches and perfumes. The designs often feature with flowers, fairies and animals. It was even tasked to make the crowns of the queen of Egypt and Empress of Iran. By 2022, Van Cleef & Arpels had 155 stores across multiple locations of the world where it sells products through standalone boutiques, boutiques in department stores and even as independent stores.   

Chanel (1910)

It was founded by Coco Chanel in Paris. The holding company Chanel Limited was established in 2018 and currently headquarters in London. Chanel is privately owned by French brothers Alan and Gerard Wertheimer. The luxury fashion house specializes in women’s ready to wear fashion, jewelry, beauty, accessories and other luxury goods. For eyewear, Chanel has licensed its name and branding to Luxottica. It is widely known for the no.5 perfume and the Chanel suit. It brought the functional garments for women in the trend. It has the logo of two interlocking C.

Prada (1913)

The Italian luxury brand was founded by Mario Prada and his brother in Milan. Mario’s granddaughter Miuccia took over the company in 1978 taking it to new heights. Started as a leather goods shop, today its products range from ready to wear, leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, and other fashion. Prada has licensed its name and branding to L’Oréal for cosmetics and fragrances and to Luxottica for eyewear. It started by selling imported animal goods. The originality in designs make Prada a luxury fashion brand. Prada has a fully owned subsidiary Miu Miu. It has partnered with LVMH to acquire a joint stake in Fendi. The resurgence in its popularity of Prada came in 2020s.

Balenciaga (1917)

The Spanish luxury fashion house was founded by Spanish Couturier Cristobal Balenciaga and is headquartered in Paris. The first boutique was opened in San Sebastian and expanded to Madrid and Barcelona. Balenciaga designs and manufactures ready to wear, footwear, handbags and other accessories. It licenses it name and branding to Coty for the perfumery. Balenciaga is one of the luxury brands owned by the French multinational holding company Kering. Kim Kardashian is the current brand ambassador of the brand.

Gucci (1921)

The luxury fashion house Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci and is based in the merchant city of Florence, Italy. Spread across 528 locations of the world, Gucci designs and manufactures ready to wear, handbags, footwear, accessories and even home décor. It has licensed its name and branding to Coty for perfumes and cosmetics under the name of Gucci beauty. After the family crisis that followed in the 1980s, the brand was revived and in 1999 Gucci became the subsidiary of Kering.

Most of the luxury brands have their origins in France and Italy. And why not, these have been the fashion spots since long. As we are able to witness changes in trends every year, with every season these luxury brands have always been in vogue…leading from the front.