Louis Vuitton products stand out through their iconic monogram. The luxury label marked 130 years of that legendary pattern on January 11, 2026. However, questions about its artistic inspiration have surfaced. Australian travel influencer Liam Richards claimed the brand’s four-petal flower may trace back to India.
View this post on Instagram
During a visit to Karnataka, he explored a 12th-century temple and noticed a similar motif. He shared his discovery through a YouTube and Instagram video.
View this post on Instagram
Chennakeshava Temple’s Detailed Craftsmanship
Richards toured the Chennakeshava Temple in Belur, Karnataka. King Vishnuvardhana commissioned the shrine in the 12th century along the Yagachi River. Builders dedicated the structure to Lord Vishnu and placed it on a star-shaped platform.
Art historian Adam Hardy categorises the architecture as a single-shrine design built using soapstone. The monument features intricate carvings of musicians, deities, dancers, and around 80 celestial nymphs in varied poses. Construction reportedly lasted 103 years.
While examining sculptures, Richards expressed astonishment. He said, “The details are out of this world. It’s insane. I don’t know how else to explain it.” Later, while describing belt carvings resembling leather straps, he zoomed into a figure and remarked, “Dude, up here, there is a Louis Vuitton belt design.” He pointed toward a carving displaying identical four-petal flowers. He added, “This is where Louis Vuitton stole their design ideas from.”
Official Origin of Louis Vuitton Monogram
Louis Vuitton’s website narrates a different history. In 1857, Louis Vuitton welcomed his son Georges. Later, Georges assumed management of the Rue Scribe store in Paris in 1880.
In 1895, Georges sought a distinctive motif. By 1896, he designed the monogram canvas. The website states, “Inspired by Art Nouveau, Japonism, and Gothic heraldic art, Georges created the now-iconic Monogram canvas combining geometrical floral motifs with the initials ‘LV’ – a tribute to his father, who passed away in 1892.”
The design includes interlocking initials, a four-rounded-petal bloom, a four-pointed flower within a rhombus, and a star.
View this post on Instagram
Brand’s Historic Ties With India
Beyond design debates, Louis Vuitton maintains historical links with India. Indian royalty favoured its trunks, including Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala, Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda, and rulers of Jammu and Kashmir.
Maharaja Jagatjit Singh reportedly owned 60 customised trunks. Each piece featured compartments for footwear, suits, ensembles, swords, turbans, jewels, and travel essentials.
If Richards’s observation proves accurate, it would highlight another instance where artisans from India may not have received due recognition. Furthermore, several global fashion houses have drawn inspiration from Indian craftsmanship while pricing products at premium rates without citing original sources.
