Brand History & Legacy > 7 Interesting Facts About Goyard

7 Interesting Facts About Goyard

1. The Oldest Leather Goods Maker

Goyard dates back to 1792, its original store sign featured references to the three traditional crafts of “box making, trunk making and packing” that were at the core of its business. However, the company was only officially founded in 1853 under the name ‘House of Goyard’.

2. Goyard Wasn’t Always Goyard

The brand’s first name was ‘Maison Martin’ after its founder: Pierre François Martin. What’s more, it changed quite a few times over the years.

Thereafter, the house’s corporate name changed from ‘Maison Morel’ to ‘House of Goyard’, and from ‘Goyard’ to ‘Goyard Ainé’ (French for ‘elder’ as François was the firstborn), as to differentiate himself from his siblings. When he died, François Goyard left the company to his son, Edmond.

3. Goyardine Was First Hand-Painted

Back in the day, trunk makers would adopt a monogram to set themselves apart in the market and avoid copycats (yes, even back then). If you’ve ever seen an authentic Goyard bag, you’d notice the intricacies of its monogram print–which is why it’s so astonishing that the Goyardine was originally hand-painted. With the improvement in technology, Goyardine is now mechanized through etching and layering of dye to ensure perfection.

Although Goyard no longer handprints their monogram, they still do personalisations which are done by expert artists at select stores.

4. Goyard’s Monogram Is Unlike Any Other

Unlike Louis Vuitton and Gucci who design their monogram around their brand’s initials, Goyard’s iconic Y print goes against the norm.

Goyardine (the brand’s Chevron pattern) was designed by Edmond Goyard and was the very first trunk maker to include his name on the brand’s canvas at the time. Edmond Goyard used the three chevrons of the letter Y to sign the canvas just like a painter would sign his painting: his name written in white is the only element that stands out, while the address of the Paris store is spelt in two different shades of brown. ‘Paris’ is repeated twice, and arranged in a centrally symmetrical stack. The piled-up dot pattern was clearly inspired by the Goyard family history and evokes their ‘Compagnon de rivière’ (log drivers) ancestry.

ALSO SEE: HOW TO AUTHENTICATE GOYARD BAGS

5. Coloured Monogram Print Was Only Introduced in 2002

The luxurious canvas with the chevron pattern remains unchanged, even today. Only 110 years after its creation, Goyard introduced 12 colours. Some of which include white, grey, red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, navy, and burgundy.

6. The Epitome of Exclusive

The beauty of Goyard is in its preference to remain traditional. Unlike other brands that have caved into online shopping, Goyard can only be purchased in-store and, depending on your proximity to the store, they offer distance orders. This exclusivity ensures that the brand cannot become common or mainstream.

If you’re itching to get your hands on Goyard’s luxury items, try trusted pre-owned retailers like Luxity!

7. The Luxury Bible

The Goyard art book published by Devambez tells the story of Goyard’s lavish history. Known colloquially as the ‘luxury bible’, the book only has 233 copies and comes with its own storage trunk (on-brand, right?).

Although it will never be republished, it is still available in Goyard’s Paris store–strictly by appointment.

Where To Buy Goyard in South Africa

To remain exclusive, Goyard only has 35 stores in the whole world, even without an online store. So, if you want to purchase coveted Goyard items, shop from trusted pre-owned retailers like Luxity! Our online store gives you the opportunity to safely buy and sell authentic designer items–or you can visit us at one of our boutiques for a luxurious experience.

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