Moynat

Established as a trunk-maker in 1849, Parisian maison Moynat has a storied heritage that is intertwined within the revolution of the automobile and the independence of Belle Époque Paris. The LVMH-owned luxury leather goods maison has cultivated exceptional accessories, bags and objets d'art that are a celebration of personalisation and artisanal craftsmanship.

Parisian maison Moynat was the result of a meeting between Pauline Moynat -the only women trunk-maker at the time who sold travel goods in the Opera district of Paris- and the Coulembier family -manufacturers from the faubourgs. In 1849 the trunk makers opened their first atelier. They joined forces with Pauline Moynat to open the Moynat boutique in 1869 at the Place du Théâtre Français. What made the luxury brand distinctive and interesting was that Pauline Monyat was the only woman to bring feminine flair to the male-dominated metier of luxury trunk-making.

Moynat patented its first inventions for packaging materials in 1854 as the luxury brand was the first to use hardened gutta-percha waterproofing to produce its trunks and packing boxes. In 1870 Moynat launched the wicker trunk: a lightweight structure consisting of a wicker frame covered with a varnished canvas and leather trimming. The product weighed a mere two kilos and was highly sought after by travellers wishing to avoid excess baggage fees! PS The House of Moynat also produced a series of security mechanisms for its trunks. 

Historically the maison's renaissance began parallel to the industrial boom with the invention of stylish travel trunks that redefined the art of traveling. From 1869 to the mid-1970s the company catered to the carriage trade with trunks- hatboxes- cases and hand luggage first for horse-drawn conveyances and trains and later automobiles. In 1889 Jules Coulembier perfected lightweight trunks followed in 1910 by a lightweight unbreakable model. From its 1873 Wicker Trunk to the archetypal 1902 Limousine Trunk which was customisable to cars' bodies.. Moynat's close link to automobiles was only matched by the inspiration it drew from Belle Époque Paris and the creative world around it. 

Pauline Moynat's association with actress Gabrielle Réjane led to one of the most iconic creations for the luxury brand — the Réjane bag - the first-ever bag to be named after a star at the time. Made-to-measure bags are the backbone of the luxury goods firm. From hand stitching to assembling.. a single bag takes around sixteen hours to make. The current favourite- Sac Mignon- is delicate with finer proportions.

In 1905 Moynat began a long-lasting relationship with Creative Director Henri Rapin who designed the logo, the monogram, illustrated the product catalogues and conceived the models presented at universal and international exhibitions. In 1907 the Coulembier family began construction on a model-factory at 15 rue Coysevox up at Montmartre. Most employees at the factory were specialist artisans who built all the Moynat trunks. It was the the first time in Paris that all the specialist skills associated with trunk-making were gathered together under one roof.

The maison reached the height of its commercial powers under the direction of the founder's grandsons.. profiting from the rise of the automobile to become a design reference in the context of this new mode of transport. The business remained in the hands of the Coulembier family until 1976. Orcofi- the Vuitton family's holding company- bought Malles et Voyages in 1989. Orcofi's CEO had planned to relaunch Moynat as a competitor to Louis Vuitton. However Orcofi was eventually sold to AXA in 1996 and its assets were stripped. 

Subsequently luxury goods holding company Luvanis SA bought the rights to Moynat in the late 2000s- developed a revival plan and assigned the brand to Groupe Arnault. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault's holding company bought Moynat in 2010 and LVMH hired designer Ramesh Nair to be artistic director for Moynat. "You have to understand what you are talking about, the story to be told" he told Vogue. "You can't ignore the heritage."

In December 2011, Moynat reopened with a flagship store at 348 Rue Saint-Honor followed by a shop in London - Hong Kong - Beijing -Tokyo -New York -Seoul -Taipei -Singapore and Dubai. In 2020 Moynat named Lisa Attia chief executive officer. She reports to Sidney Toledano- chairman and chief executive of LVMH Fashion Group and Chairman of Moynat. In another move Creative Director Nicholas Knightly was hired in November 2022. "Everything is done the old-school way.. handmade- artisanal- inherited and 100 per cent authentic. This is a dream for me" he told Harpers Bazaar Arabia. "When you make hundreds of thousands of bags little details get compromised. Here there is zero compromise. Colour is also a huge part of the Moynat DNA. With these leathers the colour is so saturated…"

In 2023 Moynat scheduled the Moynat World Tour: a roving pop-up launched in Paris at Le Bon Marche Rive Gauche on February 18 and based on personalisation of their handbags and luggage. Two centuries later Moynat continues its pioneering spirit. Through the mastery of traditional haute maroquinerie and innovative techniques, modern pieces are finished with exacting detail and savoir-faire. Within this history lies a freedom of individuality to every Moynat creation.

Established as a trunk-maker in 1849, Parisian maison Moynat envisioned providing the elite set with a storied heritage of exceptional accessories, bags and objets d'art that are a celebration of personalisation and artisanal craftsmanship.

Moynat retails made-to-measure artisanal leather bags and accessories. The collection includes Small Leather Goods- Handbags- Shoulder Bags- Tote Bags- Mini Bags- Clutches and fashion accessories.