In 1835, at the age of 13, a young boy walked nearly 300 miles to Paris; he worked odd jobs and did whatever it took to survive. He eventually learned a craft: box making. Before long, the young boy had earned enough to open his own box-making store.

The tale may seem a bit unremarkable until you consider the boy’s name: Louis Vuitton.

You know the brand, but not the man; take a look at the genius that created one of the most recognizable brands in the world with this biography.