Summary
The Louis Vuitton x Murakami collection is set to roll out next week with pop-up activations. The line, to be released in two drops in January and March, spans more than 200 references.
The original Monogram Multicolore designs, unveiled at the label’s spring 2003 show under then-creative director Marc Jacobs, were an instant hit. Items from the original Murakami collaboration, and successive installments such as the Cherry Blossom and Monogramouflage collections, have remained in high demand on the resale market.
Murakami requested the use of a Vuitton Monogram Multicolore trunk to display alongside his “Flower Parent and Child” sculpture. “The reason was because, in Japan, contemporary art is sort of a minor interest, whereas fashion is something everyone’s really, really interested in,” he said.
Murakami is pleased that Zendaya, who was just seven years old when the collaboration first launched, is now the face of the line. The reedition comes at a time of stalled growth for the luxury sector overall.
The Monogram Multicolore in 33 colors features on handbags including the Keepall, the Coussin, the Dauphine, the OnTheGo and the Speedy. The collection is launching first in Japan and China, where it will be available for preorder on Friday ahead of arriving in stores on Jan. 1.
The LV Hands logo appears on Alma BB bags and a silk square. The Superflat Panda is used on sneakers, keyrings and a skateboard. The Cherry Blossom motif will feature on Papillon bags and platform sandals.
Murakami said the Vuitton collaboration was considered disruptive at the time. “I didn’t receive any specific criticism, but what I noted was that my art works that were coming up at auction for maybe a year after I did the collaboration, the price was going down,” he said.
His Kaikai Kiki studio has worked with brands including Hublot, Supreme, Uniqlo, Crocs and Billionaire Boys Club. He periodically finds fresh sources of creativity, such as his recent work with K-pop band New Jeans.
Beccari hopes to make a third animated film in support of the Vuitton collaboration, this time telling an “intergenerational story” from the perspective of an older woman and her granddaughter. Beccari, meanwhile, suggested Vuitton may not be done reviving its greatest hits, which also include graffiti-inspired designs by Stephen Sprouse.
