Discover the most iconic prints of all time, from the world's top designer brands – from the classic Burberry check to the instantly recognisable Gucci GG canvas
How do you convey what brand you're wearing without having to use any words? From Louis Vuitton's monogram pattern to the Burberry check, few prints are as iconic as these! Instantly recognisable, these prints have become synonymous with the brand itself, establishing a signature identity and a cult following. We take a look at the stories behind some of these iconic prints...
The Louis Vuitton monogram
One of the oldest and most recognisable prints of all time, the Louis Vuitton monogram was designed by the founder’s son, Georges Vuitton, in 1896 as a tribute to his late father. To preserve his father's legacy, Georges interlocked his initials L and V to create the house's prestigious logo and added the four-point flowers as lucky motifs. The monogrammed canvas has come to define the brand and is interpreted across the maison's entire line, from its trunks and bags to its clothing and accessories.
Dolce & Gabanna's Carretto Siciliano
Dolce & Gabanna's unique prints pay homage to the brand's home base of Italy. Perhaps one of the most iconic designs, the colourful Carretto Siciliano, with its vibrant patterns, is reminiscent of summer in Sicily. These charming prints in an array of colours – red, yellow, blue and green – were inspired by the traditional Sicilian horse-drawn cart (carretto Siciliano).
The intricate pattern is reproduced on a range of items from the house, from clothing to bags and accessories. But that's not all! When Dolce & Gabanna unveiled its first home décor and furniture collection in 2021, the iconic print stole the show, with everything from couches to rugs represented in this signature pattern.
Versace's Barocco
Over the years, the Barocco print has become a brand signifier for Versace. First introduced as a complete collection by Gianni Versace in 1992, the elaborate iconography and colour palette of the historical Barocco period lent plenty of inspiration to his creations. It was his love for flashy designs and extravagance that led him to adopt the Barocco print as part of the brand’s lexicon. The pattern still decorates the brand’s designs today, spanning from clothing and accessories to furniture and tableware.
The Burberry check
When the Burberry check was first introduced in the late 1910s, it lined the insides of the Burberry trenchcoat. But the simple, elegant print – with black, white and red intersecting stripes on a beige backdrop – quickly became famous. The house trademarked the print in 1921 and it has since been used on everything from scarves to umbrellas. It soon became a royal favourite, which helped establish the brand as a heritage British house.
The Gucci GG canvas
When the house of Gucci first introduced its canvas collections, it featured a diamond pattern without the double "G" logo. Then known as the Gucci Diamante, this creation by Guccio Gucci was all the rage! In 1964, when Aldo Gucci (Guccio's son) took over the house, he introduced the double G logo to close the corners of the diamond and that's how the GG canvas print was developed. Since then, the print has seen many reiterations and is often combined with the house’s equally distinguishable green-red-green ribbon.