A decade later, Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami are back with their iconic collab

Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami first came together about 20 years ago for what was to be an industry-defining collaboration. Today, the 169 year old French luxury goods giant and the 62-year-old Japanese artist proudly revisit that moment in history with Louis Vuitton × Murakami, a joyful and comprehensive re-edition that reimagines and updates the original collection.

The original collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Murakami, initiated in 2003 under Marc Jacobs’s tenure as Vuitton’s artistic director, was revolutionary at the time for bringing contemporary art into the luxury fashion sphere, challenging the notion that high-end fashion had to be traditional and understated. Its pop/manga styling of some of the Parisian brand’s iconic bags and accessories has transcended both time and trends, hotly coveted then, then collected and cherished subsequently. It was the mother of all collaborations, its iconic results the Holy Grail of fashion marketing.

The Lustre of Luxury

In context, when the collaboration was initially launched in the early Noughties, luxury brands were reinventing themselves to stay relevant amid a growing Asia-driven, pop-culture-influenced market. This era was defined by the rise of “It” bags, ultra-skinny jeans, logomania, and a cultural shift that embraced a hectic boldness.

Louis Vuitton, known for its prestigious monogrammed bags, had sought to refresh their appeal by incorporating Murakami’s vibrant, kaleidoscopic reinterpretation of the monogram with 33 colours — the Monogram Multicolore — which was an instant hit. The collaboration produced other hits like the Cherry Blossom and Panda motifs, which combined Murakami’s “kawaii,” anime-inspired style with Vuitton’s iconic craftsmanship.

Fashion Impact

Although the original partnership concluded in 2015, it had already changed luxury forever. The collaboration is ripe for revival, because Murakami’s designs are a symbol of the Y2K aesthetic, the macro trend that keeps giving. Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Murakami was among the first to position artist partnerships as central to luxury branding, paving the way for similar ventures in the industry. This reflects the house’s role as a leader in luxury fashion.

The collaboration had bridged luxury fashion and art, and set a template for future partnerships between Louis Vuitton and artists like Richard Prince and Yayoi Kusama, and has become the playbook for other luxury labels seeking to update classic items, or refresh a dusty name.

A recent, and appropriately Japanese, example would be Loewe’s collaboration with Studio Ghibli, the animation icon. It was Vuitton’s genius move to have captured the zeitgeist of the early 2000s, where maximalist fashion resonated with a younger, more Asian audience. The Murakami collaboration had transformed Louis Vuitton from a traditional luxury house into a culturally relevant brand that embraced street culture.

What to Know About the New LV X Murakami Collection

Innovation and Modernity

Louis Vuitton’s unparalleled craftsmanship endures in its ability to adapt to changing times. The use of cutting-edge digital printing to bring Murakami’s vibrant designs to life reflects the brand’s commitment to embracing new technologies without compromising artisanal quality.

By partnering with a contemporary artist known for blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern pop culture, Vuitton also demonstrated that any luxury house must be open to creativity, irony and humour.

Collaboration and Cultural Relevance

Murakami’s reimagined designs were a necessary disruption that resonated with a new, less bourgeois customer; the marriage of high luxury and pop art injected the brand with a blast of youth. By tapping into Murakami’s street cred, Louis Vuitton reinforced its ability to stay culturally relevant while maintaining luxury status.

A Global Vision

The collaboration feels particularly relevant today for its early embrace of diversity. The collaboration reflects Louis Vuitton’a global vision by incorporating Asian cultural influences into its designs. This inclusivity highlighted the brand’s ability to celebrate and integrate diverse artistic traditions. It also recalls its early Japanese influence which had created the Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram canvas, first introduced in 1896 by Georges Vuitton. The unique pattern, which incorporates the Louis Vuitton initials, quatrefoils, and flowers, took inspiration from Oriental and Japanese designs of the Victorian age.

A Major Revival

The Louis Vuitton × Murakami collaboration encapsulates the house’s dedication to creativity, timeless luxury, and cultural relevance. It serves as a testament to Vuitton’s ethos of evolving while staying true to its core identity, ensuring its place at the forefront of both fashion and art. The products are shaped by advances in technology, coupled with the craftsmanship at the heart of Louis Vuitton, allowing for a greater definition of printed application, and improved vividness of colour and elevated precision.

Monogram Multicolore, reworks a full range of creations of more than 200 items including The Dauphine Soft, The Speedy 25, The Alma BB; and across a range of trunks, wallets, scarves, and an exceptional made-to-order Malle Wardrobe containing 33 Speedy bags.

Superflat Panda is brought to life on the washed blue OnTheGo PM Chain and Alba BB bags, on a Zippy wallet, on travel bags (including the Keepall 45 and the Mini Square Trunk), and a skateboard!

Superflat Garden appears on a selection of perfume bottles and cylindrical cases, an assortment of Capucines bags; the exquisite Cherry Blossom motif on vibrant Papillon bags, platform sandals, and the majestic Courrier Lozine 110 Fleurs trunk.

Louis Vuitton × Murakami will be available to order worldwide from 1st January, 2025. A second chapter will be launched in March 2025 and focus on the artist’s perfect-for-spring Cherry Blossom pattern.