KNOWLEDGE

Louis Vuitton 101: Behind Their
Brand & Artist Collaborations

By Koyaana R. July 29, 2020

“The reason I collaborate with Louis Vuitton…

Louis Vuitton has been at the forefront of brand collaboration, paving the way before the practice was adopted by other luxury houses. Come and explore the key collaborations that have been launched over the last several decades.

ArtyCapucines (2019)

Most recently, Louis Vuitton released a series of limited edition Capucines handbags dubbed ArtyCapucines that took the collaborative efforts of six artists to correlate with the Beverly Hills exhibition opening in late June. The pieces are a tribute to the brand’s well-known love affair with Los Angeles.

Nicholas Hlobo

Jonas Wood

Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

FIFA World Cup

Louis Vuitton has partnered with FIFA since 2010 to develop pieces that encompass the spirit of the sport, ranging from monogram soccer balls to a World Cup trophy case. Most recently, in 2018, the bags were constructed with pieces similar to the hexagonal faces of a soccer ball in various bright colors, adding a new twist to this near decade long collaboration.

Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami

Louis Vuitton rarely launches collaborations more than once. However, their long-standing relationship with Takashi Murakami has led to multiple collaborations and some of the most iconic and recognizable prints that has graced the Louis Vuitton brand. From the Monogramouflage, Cherries, Cherry Blossoms, and, of course, Monogram Multicolor these prints have truly become iconic.

Grace Coddington

The former Welsh model turned creative director of American Vogue teamed up with Louis Vuitton to create a series of handbags that featured playful cat illustrations to highlight her love of animals.

Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Azzedine Alaia

Alaia was never one to shy away from the spotlight and had always been known for his alluringly sexy designs. His collaboration with Louis Vuitton was no different. By taking the classic silhouette of the Alma, wrapping it in leopard print pony hair with only a single knotted handle, and adding a slew of accessories, he created a true collectible item that is incredibly rare to find as a full set.

Supreme

For months prior to its announcement, there was major speculation of a Louis Vuitton and Supreme collaboration in the works. When the news finally dropped, streetwear and luxury fans could not contain their excitement. It was short-lived for many when it was announced that these pieces could only be purchased exclusively in six pop-up locations around the world. Since then, this capsule collection has retained 80% to over 100% of its original retail value on the secondary market.

Fragment

Fragment Design is well-known for its collaborations across multiple categories, including but not limited to clothing, shoes, and even yachts. It was no surprise that Louis Vuitton invited designer Hiroshi Fujiwara to collaborate on several men’s pieces for their Fall/Winter 2017 Collection.

Chapman Brothers

Described as a sinister safari, the Spring/Summer 2017 collection was reminiscent of art director Kim Jones’s childhood in Africa. Jake and Dinos Chapman are known for their morbidly curious art that often evokes criticism and negative reactions, something they seem to revel in. This collection did not disappoint, with oddly caricatured African wildlife, the pieces garnered a lot of buzz and ultimately became collector’s items.

Scott Campbell

For the Spring/Summer 2011 collection, Marc Jacobs enlisted the help of tattoo artist Scott Campbell to create an oddly eerie collection that was darker than what the brand had done in the past. The collection utilized techniques that had never been used by Louis Vuitton before, including laser cut leather to highlight a series of full leather offerings. The runway models even had custom temporary neck tattoos during the show to coincide with the edgy aesthetic that Campbell is known for, a deviation from the brand’s usual clean cut aesthetic.

Richard Prince

Renowned for his art and photography, Richard Prince collaborated with Marc Jacobs on his Spring 2008 collection with the intention of showing “Louis Vuitton after dark.” His most notable design is perhaps the Aquarelle monogram which turned the classic print into a watercolor dream. Prince is also known for his “Jokes” bags, in which he used cheeky phrases to decorate a new iteration of monogram print covered in clouds of blended color.

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons really needs no introduction. His stainless steel sculptures, especially of the balloon animal variety, are world-renowned and evoke a sense of childlike wonder. Jeff Koons went in a slightly different direction with this collaboration and decided to recreate master artists’ paintings and translate them onto classic styles from Louis Vuitton.

Kansai Yamamoto

As a leader in contemporary fashion in Japan in the 1970s and 1980s, there was no question as to why Louis Vuitton wanted to collaborate with the once heralded designer. His comeback incited a renewed love for Japanese culture and with that, Louis Vuitton released a few of its classic pieces with Kabuki influenced graphics.

Stephen Sprouse

Known for his eclectic and out of this world use of prints and colors, Marc Jacobs welcomed Stephen Sprouse into the Louis Vuitton fold, and the fashion world took notice of the beautiful collaboration that to this day would be some of the most sought after collector’s items on the market. His rose and graffiti motifs are the most recognizable among his past collaborations and still fetch significant prices in comparison to their original retail.

The Icon and the Iconoclasts (2014):

In 2014, Louis Vuitton celebrated its most iconic print in a new way. By collaborating with six of the world’s most iconic visionaries, a series of unusual pieces were released as a tribute to the monogram. These luminaries included Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Louboutin, Cindy Sherman, Frank Gehry, Marc Newson, and Rei Kawakubo. To this day, these pieces are sought after by true collectors.

Cindy Sherman

Rei Kawakubo

Yayoi Kusama

Kusama is known for her unique art, typically focusing on interactive and immersive installations, such as the Infinity Mirrors exhibition in New York, which drew attention from all around the globe for its ethereal beauty. The patterns she designed in conjunction with the iconic monogram canvas were distinguishably hers and easily recognized.

Commes de Garçons

Outside of the Icon and the Iconoclasts collection of 2014, Rei Kawakubo under the Commes de Garçons name, collaborated with Louis Vuitton to develop a capsule collection of evening bags that were anything but ordinary.

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