Louis Vuitton

In 1896, Louis Vuitton introduced its now-iconic Monogram, featuring a distinctive four-petal quatrefoil motif. Marketed as an original Parisian design, this pattern has since become synonymous with luxury, adorning countless products and generating billions of dollars in revenue for the brand. The design's origins, however, have been called into question due to striking resemblances to ancient Indian artistry.

The Hoysala Temple Quatrefoil, known in Devanagari as होयसल नक्काशी, is a sacred motif found in the intricate carvings of 12th-century Hoysala temples in Karnataka, India. These temples, built by the Hoysala Empire, are renowned for their detailed sculptures and architectural brilliance, often depicting deities, mythological narratives, and elaborate floral and geometric patterns. The quatrefoil, a four-lobed design, holds deep cultural and spiritual significance within this tradition, representing cosmic order and divine beauty, meticulously crafted by skilled artisans over centuries.

The appropriation of the Hoysala Temple Quatrefoil by Louis Vuitton has been highlighted by various publications, including The Juggernaut. These reports draw attention to the remarkable similarity between the brand's 1896 Monogram and the ancient Indian carvings. The core objection centers on the lack of acknowledgment for the design's potential cultural origins, with critics pointing out that a sacred motif from Indian heritage was adopted and presented as an original European creation, without credit to its historical and cultural roots.