The re-edition collection builds on their groundbreaking 12-year collaboration, widely regarded as one of the most iconic partnerships in fashion history.
Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami are back at it again, teaming up on a collaboration that blends luxury fashion with charming psychedelic art. And fans are excited for it to drop next month, especially because it has been 20 years since the fashion powerhouse and renowned Japanese artist teamed up on their first iconic collection.
The upcoming Louis Vuitton x Murakami collab, as the fashion giant describes it, is a vibrant and nostalgic “re-edition” collection of their collaboration in 2003. While the lineup is yet to be unveiled in a few weeks, the videos Louis Vuitton has been sharing on Instagram provide a glimpse of what fans can expect from the much-anticipated collection.
The Maison announced the collaboration on Dec. 3, through a perky animation featuring one of Murakami’s iconic bears, Tan Tan Bo, and the artist’s colorful rendition of the classic LV moniker that has his signature pattern and icons, such as the MOCA hand and Murakami smiling flowers. This was followed by a series of short films, titled “Superflat Monogram” and “Superflat First Love,” starring Tan Tan Bo and anime-stye characters as they dive into the hidden psychedelic world of Louis Vuitton.
The videos reflect Murakami’s popular art style, which is bold, vibrant, and incorporates motifs from Japanese traditions and pop culture, including manga and anime. His “Superflat” style, characterized by cartoony outlines, flat planes of color, and playful characters, has made him one of the leading contemporary artists today.
His long-time partnership with Louis Vuitton was initiated by the fashion giant’s then-creative director Marc Jacobs in 2002 and has been touted as one of the most successful partnerships in fashion history. According to Nss Magazine, it was developed at the time Jacobs was determined to modernize the brand and decided to seek opportunities in art.
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He discovered Murakami at an exhibition at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris. From there, the two teamed up on a new collection called “Monogram Multicolor” which brought playful elegance to the high-end brand.
The collection, which debuted in Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2003 runway, explored colorful and whimsical worlds, turning the brand’s fashion items into wearable works of art. Murakami lent his cartoon-style artwork to the luxury retailer’s signature pieces, painting its bags with green, turquoise, yellow, and hot pink, and sprucing them up with cherries and Japanese-inspired pop art.
Among the highlights is Murakami’s reinvention of the classic LV logo with a palette of 33 colors placed against a white or black background. “It was time to do something radically new,” Jacobs said of the collection in an interview. “We wanted to bring art into fashion in a way never seen before.”
The collection became an immediate success. Louis Vuitton was no longer just a refined luxury brand producing traditional brown monogram bags but one that resonates with younger generations. Its products were now seen by young consumers as an expression of one’s individuality and optimism.
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Another key to the collaboration’s success was the endorsements of it-girls, including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Jessica Simpson, who were spotted showcasing Murakami’s bags everywhere they go, introducing the concept of luxury brands as everyday wear.
The collaboration was described by Jacobs as the “ultimate crossover” and lasted until July 2015. From “Monogram Multicolor,” it expanded to collections such as “Cherry Blossom” (2003), the playful “Panda” (2004), and the eccentric “Cerises” (2005).
“Our collaboration has produced a lot of works, and has been a huge influence and inspiration to many,” Jacobs told Vogue in 2009. “It has been, and continues to be, a monumental marriage of art and commerce. The ultimate crossover—one for both the fashion and art history books.”
The positive response from consumers led to a significant increase in the French fashion house’s revenue. According to WWD, Murakami’s bag sales reached at least $345 million in 2003 alone, which accounted for 10% of the brand’s total revenue that year.
When the 12-year collaboration ended in 2015, the items became collectibles and sold many times over on luxury second-hand platforms and auction houses. New York-based auction house Sotheby’s features some of them on their website, including the Murakami Multicolor Monogram Canvas Tote with MOCA Hands symbol (USD 3,400 or PHP201,000), the Brown Monogram Canvas Panda Trotter Bag (USD1,900 or PHP112,230), and the Dalmatian Pony Hair and Black Multicolor Monogram Flap Bag (USD4,400 or PHP260,000).
The Louis Vuitton x Murakami re-edition collection will be released in three to four drops starting Jan. 1, 2025.
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