Louis Vuitton Keepall 45 Monogram

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Description & history

A Louis Vuitton Keepall 45 travel bag in Monogram coated canvas · handles, straps and details in caramel-patinated cowhide leather · gold-tone brass hardware · functional double zip · nametag, padlock and keys included · date code SD**** · Made in France · 1994 · 45 × 27 × 20 cm · grade B.

The Keepall is the bag through which Louis Vuitton entered the twentieth century. Until then, the house made trunks: rigid, heavy objects designed for ocean liners and trains. In the 1930s, aeroplanes and cars changed the equation — luggage had to be flexible, able to be filled, folded and stored away. The Keepall was born from this constraint, and its name says it all: keep everything. It is the house's first modern piece of luggage, and it has barely changed since.

The 45 is its smallest size, and by far the most practical for everyday use. At 45 cm long, it qualifies as cabin baggage, making it the ideal bag for weekends and short trips: a pair of shoes, a toiletry bag, clothes for three to four days and a tablet fit comfortably inside its spacious single compartment. The double zip runs the full length and opens wide — you pack the bag like a suitcase, not a tote.

This one comes in Monogram coated canvas, with handles, straps and details in natural cowhide leather. This leather, left untreated when it leaves the workshop, slowly develops colour through exposure to light and handling: this one has developed a lovely, even warm caramel patina, the kind found on a bag that has genuinely travelled. Its date code SD**** places its manufacture in France in 1994 — a piece over thirty years old, with all its vintage character.

A word about the nametag, in the interest of full transparency: the Keepall is sold with a Louis Vuitton leather nametag, but it is an added piece rather than the bag's original accessory. It also bears the Made in U.S.A marking, whereas the bag itself is stamped Made in France. The nametag remains an authentic Louis Vuitton piece, and can easily be removed if you prefer to carry it differently or use it on another piece of luggage.

Very good vintage condition, grade B — clean, stain-free coated canvas, lovely even leather patina, light rubbing on the handles and front leather strips, functional zip closure, clean and odour-free interior with slight signs of previous use. No major flaws to report; everything is documented in the photos. Sold with its nametag, padlock, keys and RARR Vintage certificate of authenticity.