#LouisVuitton.YayoiKusama #LuxuryFashion #LXvYK
Labelled with the tagline ‘Creating Infinity’ global luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton released their second collaboration with contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama earlier this year, over 10 years since Kusama’s previous collaboration with the French brand back in 2012. If you have not already seen the highly visual campaign advertised across social media or stepped inside a Louis Vuitton store, the following blog post will tell the story of their new capsule collection.
The collaboration between Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama utilise Kusama’s pop art dots, which are painted all over stores, and created a unique collection. The collaboration is reflected throughout many of Louis Vuitton’s retail store designs through interior and exterior transformations and sculptural activations. The prelaunch began in Japan where it was first dropped and can now be seen globally in cities like Paris, New York, Tokyo, Chengdu and London. The vibrant visuals of the Louis Vuitton stores reflect the intrinsic mind of Kusama and her body of iconic work, reinterpreting 450 signature elements of her aesthetic in the style of Louis Vuitton. Flagship stores across the globe have been painted with explosions of polka dots as well as life-sized and larger-than-life-sized figures of Kusama herself, which has caught the eyes of millions of individuals.
But the question that has sparked many contemporary artist fans and fashion lovers is why Louis Vuitton chose to collaborate with Kusama and what is the significance of this collaboration.
Founded in Paris in 1954, Louis Vuitton began his legacy by manufacturing innovative trunks and boxes and is famously recognised for its iconic Monogram canvas print, a highly coveted material that quickly became a sign of distinction and rarity. Today, the Monogram motif provides endless inspiration for contemporary re-interpretations by Louis Vuitton’s own Artistic Directors as well as artistic visionaries.
The collaboration between Kusama and Vuitton began back in 2012 when Kusama painted the iconic LV trunk with her signature polka dots. Fast forward to 2023, this collaboration has attracted the eyes of millions and is a global success. The 94-year-old artist, Yayoi Kusama, has emerged as perhaps the preeminent global artist of the 21st century and without a doubt the most successful living female artist. Kusama began painting at the early age of 10 in Japan and works primarily in sculpture and installation. Kusama has been open about her mental health and has resided since the 1970s in a mental health facility which she leaves daily to walk to her nearby studio to work. She says that art has become her way to express her mental problems.
From the adornment of Harrods in London to animatronic Yayoi Kusama's in New York and iconic animated Louis Vuitton trunks the size of entire buildings in Tokyo. It's a campaign that reflects the wow factor of partnering with one of the most recognised artists in the world and that heralds a particularly buoyant start to 2023.
Louis Vuitton describes the collaboration as “a collection inspired by unprecedented creativity”. Blending the creativity of Yay Kusama and the savoir-faire of Louis Vuitton, the new collection reinterprets the Maison’s iconic pieces, infused with the artist’s signature motifs. Celebrating art, audacity and craftsmanship, Kusama’s painted dots, metal dots, infinity dots and psychedelic flowers enliven the universe of Louis Vuitton.
The campaign for the collaboration features a variety of supermodels such as Karlie Kloss, Christy Turlington and Bella Hadid adorned with Yayoi's painted dots and even pictured in subtle, soft black and white to contrast the loud, colourful motifs featured on the pieces themselves. The perfect way of introducing the second collaboration with Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama to the public.
This collaboration obviously intended to be so huge, so omnipresent, so unmissable that its success actually figures into Louis Vuitton's fiscal report for the first quarter of 2023 — LV x Kusama is impossible to ignore by design. However, this collab has been met with mixed reviews from the art and fashion communities.
Unfortunately, the collection reappeared with the same items and designs from 2012, which has raised questions about the originality of this new iteration. Some critics “argued that Louis Vuitton is relying on the artist's fame and reputation to heighten buzz for the brand rather than creating new and innovative designs that highlight the fresh originality of both the artist and the fashion house.” On a recent Instagram post uploaded by venerable retail Harrod's, commenters expressed weariness over a perceived lack of creativity, complaining about the repetitive nature of the designs.
On the other hand, fashion and lifestyle blogger Victoria Magrath attended the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Harrods on an unpaid PR visit and described her experience as a “once in a lifetime installation” of such an “encompassing campaign”.
Whatever your opinion of the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration, this pairing has certainly turned the heads of luxury fashion lovers and contemporary art enthusiasts and are equally fascinated and fatigued by the results, but from the luxury fashion Maison’s perspective…any PR is good PR, right?
If you are a luxury fashion lover like myself, here are a few pieces from the collection that I suggest you check out!
LV x YK Neverfull MM Tote Bag
Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama LV Initiales 30mm Reversible Painted Dots Belt
Let me know your opinion of the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration and if you have witnessed the exhibitions at the flagship stores!
See you next week,
Mia
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