In the world of fashion collaborations, there is one that has set a precedent and is reaching new heights: the one between the French mansion Louis Vuitton and the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. A dialogue that has been going on for twenty years and, with the latest edition of the Artycapucines Capucines project, that has shifted the conversation on a whole another level
by Domenico Casoria
When, at the end of October, at the Louis Vuitton stand at the Grand Palais (where Art Basel, the world’s most important modern and contemporary art fair, is usually held) appeared a giant octopus, it was immediately clear that the artist in question was Murakami. More specifically, due to various reasons: the first, the most obvious one, is related to the fact that Murakami has always worked with the figure of the octopus, often present in the history of Japanese art. The second one, less evident (but only to those outside the industry) is that, by now, the relationship between Louis Vuitton and Murakami can be considered as a healthy and strong marriage, destined to stand the test of time.
Louis Vuitton and Murakami
For the seventh edition of the Artycapucines project, the French brand has, in fact, entrusted to the vision of Takashi Murakami the reinterpretation, or the “artistic remake”, of the iconic Capucines bag, which takes its name from Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, the Parisian street in which Louis Vuitton opened its first boutique back to 1854. It must be said, it is not a matter of mere accessories, but of true collector’s items that have earned, ça va sans dire, a place in the artistic exhibition par excellence.
Clearly, it is not the first contact between the artist and the brand. But, this seventh edition of the project (which has been ongoing since 2019) has marked a significant turning point: in fact, for the first time, Murakami encountered, essentially in every aspect, Louis Vuitton’s savoir faire.
Eleven reinterpretations
The partnership, in this way, gave life to eleven original reinterpretations of the Capucines bag, and each of them was designed in order to highlight a precise and distinctive aspect of Murakami’s creative imagination, which is strongly influenced by the aesthetic of manga and the geek culture. In other words, anime, science fiction, collecting, and everything that generally revolves around pop nerd culture. Eleven models that, essentially, are true works of art. Or, to put it in another way, we can file them under “summary of Murakami’s thought”.
Manga and the geek culture
For instance, the Mini Tentacle draws inspiration from Mr. DOB, the iconic octopus, symbol of the artist. The Mini Mushroom is decorated with more than 100 hand-polished resin mushrooms, arranged on a 3d mirrored canvas, which seems to transport us into a parallel universe. In some cases, the shape is altered, as in the Capusplit, stretched on its two sides. Or in the Capubloom, in which the shape of the bag transforms into a sphere, fully covered in multicolored daisies.
In the Panda Clutch the Capucines bag actually takes the appearance of the animal, carved in polished brass and, then, decorated with 6250 hand-set rhinestones. In other cases, the bag is adapted to much more known codes. For example, the EW Dragon represents an homage to the work Dragon in Clouds Indigo Blue, designed by Murakami in 2010. Here, the dragon is directly printed on the bag. Then, there is no shortage of astonishing works. In the BB Golden Garden, the protagonist is leather, which is covered in gold leaves, together with sophisticated floral motifs and enamelled details.
A world in expansion
So, the one of Vuitton feat. Murakami is a world waiting to be discovered, capable of leaving an impression among fashion enthusiasts, or directly reaching the hearts of niche customers, as it actually opens a door to a kind of imagination that never ceases to expand. And then, because in this continuous (and supposed) rivalry between fashion and art this relationship built on mutual influence represents the real driving force behind creative development, of both.
Picture Louis Vuitton
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