Delvaux

Founded in Brussels in 1829 by Charles Delvaux, this Belgian firm is the world’s oldest active luxury leather goods house. Created nearly a century before the automobile revolutionized transportation, the brand was born to meet the travel needs of the aristocracy during the height of Europe’s railway boom.

Delvaux’s historical and technical milestone is the creation of the first patented modern women’s handbag. In 1908, the firm registered the official patent for the Le Princesse model, becoming the first company in history to secure intellectual property rights for a structured handbag with top handles and interior compartments.

Delvaux has been an official supplier to the Belgian Royal Court since 1883. Each of its bags (such as the iconic Brillant model, launched in 1958, or Tempête, in 1967) is entirely handcrafted by master artisans in workshops in Belgium and France, requiring over 60 individual pieces of premium leather and dozens of hours of flawless assembly.