Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly referred to as
Louis Vuitton ( ; ), or shortened to
LV, is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by
Louis Vuitton. The label's LV
monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from
luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses and books. Louis Vuitton is one of the world's leading international fashion houses; it sells its products through standalone
boutiques, lease departments in high-end
department stores, and through the
e-commerce section of its website. For six consecutive years (2006–2012), Louis Vuitton was named the world's most valuable luxury brand. 2012 valuation was US$25.9 billion. Year 2013 valuation of the brand was US$28.4 billion with a sales of US$9.4 billion. The company operates in 50 countries with more than 460 stores worldwide