In Praise of Louis Vuitton’s Epi Leather Bags and Accessories

When people think of Louis Vuitton bags, they usually think of either the brand’s ubiquitous brown and beige monogram, or maybe one of its equally iconic Damier check prints. As with most things, though, the real treasures lie just below the surface, and I’m not talking about all of the smooth leather bags Nicolas Ghesquiere has introduced in his tenure at Vuitton. No, instead, I’m here to heap a little but of much-deserved admiration on Louis Vuitton’s Epi Leather.

Epi Leather was introduced in 1985 as the brand’s first permanent leather line, and it’s been beloved for its durability and vivid color selection ever since. The leather is dyed, printed with Epi’s famous three-dimensional wave pattern and then painted with a color-matching top coating, which ensures the colors are especially bright and makes the leather very resistant to water and wear. There’s a reason Epi bags are so popular on the resale market: they require very little care to look virtually new for years.

Perhaps best of all, Epi is a little more subtle than the materials normally associated with LV. You still get the brand’s incredible craftsmanship and design, but in a slightly more discreet package and without the astronomical prices of Vuitton’s more fragile and expensive smooth leathers. For us, that’s a win-win. Check out some of our current favorite Epi Leather bags and accessories below.