Louis Vuitton starts off 2023 in color as they run it back with Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama
A decade since their first collaboration, Louis Vuitton’s second pairing with Yayoi Kusama is finally here with its January 6 worldwide release. This follows the 2012 collaboration, which resulted in one of the brand’s most significant partnerships.
First teased in Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2023 show, the near 400-piece collection is a marriage of both old and new Louis Vuitton pieces with Kusama’s philosophy, such as her affinity for polka dots and playful tones.
This is just the first half of the collaboration though, as a second drop in March focuses on the artist’s pumpkin motifs.
And with this being the second time around, we now attempt to unpack the finer details of Louis Vuitton’s relationship with the renowned Japanese avant-garde artist.
Behind the dots
Simply put, Yayoi Kusama is an icon in her own right. Along with her red wig is a unique art style that has propelled her to contemporary art significance thanks to her obsessive, psychedelic style that revolves around the concept of infinity and, on a personal level, a form of release.
She had begun painting as a child while experiencing hallucinations that became a catalyst for her now-iconic polka dots. Aside from being the source of her motif, this also gave way to her preference for expressing baggage through art up to this day.
Most of her fame was built when she resided in New York in the 1960s. Aside from exploring different art forms and being exhibited with avant-garde titans such as David Judd and Andy Warhol, this time period also saw her produce her iconic Infinity Nets series—pieces that involved minimal, repeated brush strokes to occupy a whole canvas and simulate infinity.
Aside from paintings, Kusama’s style was also shown through large-scale installations called Infinity Mirror Rooms. With several variations, these were a way to immerse viewers in the concept she had become known for.
In more recent times, she has since then expanded to other mediums such as literature and fashion. Of course, for fashion, this resulted in a partnership with Louis Vuitton that started in 2012.
The beauty of unspoken dialogues
Art and fashion in one can be argued as a guaranteed hit. Outside of Yayoi Kusama, just look at Louis Vuitton’s Takashi Murakami collaboration and its Monogram Multicolore line. These were primarily iconic bags from the maison with a multicolor monogram that lasted in production from 2003 up to 2015, along with being used by various celebrities, both past and present.
If anything, collaborations in general have a special charm to them. A dialogue between two different philosophies will create a unique product as these are mixed and matched. In most cases, these are outputs that are sought after, having high value appreciation well after their initial release to the public.
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It holds true even more for artistic collaborations like these. Artists have their own quirky style, and when applied to iconic brand codes, they inject new life into tradition and there are avenues for reinterpretation without disruption. While keeping sacred codes intact, these partnerships allow an equally unique take that expands on their timeless charisma, along with a modernization of sorts.
From a consumer standpoint, this brings together different audiences. Fashion enthusiasts get their share of usable art along with artist appreciation, while art enthusiasts can find a newfound appreciation of a style that they have admired for the longest time. Legacies are furthered, and they present completely different craftsmanship to a wider audience.
To infinity and beyond
Alongside the attention that Louis Vuitton commands, it’s not too hard to find the charm in this collaboration. The biggest point here is timelessness for both Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama. Louis Vuitton has been in fashion for over a hundred years now, with an identity and countless silhouettes that continue to appeal to audiences.
For Kusama are motifs that were once ahead of her time. When applied to high fashion pieces, a middle ground between straightforward and complex is achieved. These are designs that can be used regardless of the season, especially with the psychedelic, infinite, and bold outputs presented along with reinterpretation without sacrificing tradition.
Whether it can live up to what Marc Jacobs started in 2012 is now the question for this renewed collaboration. If all goes well, this sequel to a now-legendary exchange could just further cement the beauty of Louis Vuitton’s relationship with Yayoi Kusama’s never-ending quest for infinity.
Featured Image from YAYOI KUSAMA MUSEUM (via Instagram)
