The highly-lucrative Louis Vuitton/Takashi Murakami collaboration will come to an end this month, the company has announced.
In 2003, Murakami unveiled his cheerful interpretation of the iconic Louis Vuitton logo, rendered in the Pop artist’s signature cheerful color palette on a clean white background. The Multicolored monogram became an instant hit, toted by Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, and other major celebrities of the early aughts.
A bag from Takashi Murakami’s Character Bag collection for Louis Vuitton.
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
The artist’s collaboration with the fashion house included several other designs, including the Monogramouflage, Cherry Blossom, and Character Bag collections, each offering playful spins on the brand’s iconography. But now, Murakami fans have two weeks to get their hands on the last of the Murakami monograms because by the end of July, all Murakami merchandise will be removed from Louis Vuitton stores.
Louis Vuitton’s fairly-new creative director Nicolas Ghesquière, who took the reins after Marc Jacobs left the renowned fashion house in late 2013 to focus on his own line, has not commented on the decision to stop working with Murakami. Apparently, the brand prefers to “look forward,” according to a widely-cited statement.
A bag from Takashi Murakami’s Cherry Blossom collection for Louis Vuitton.
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
In honor of the company’s 160th anniversary in 2014, Louis Vuitton collaborated with photographer Cindy Sherman (among other high-profile creatives) in its “Celebrating Monogram” collection. Stephen Sprouse, Richard Prince, and Yayoi Kusama are among the other artists who have worked with the fashion house.
Though Louis Vuitton may be done with Murakami, his involvement in the fashion world is almost certain to continue.
Takashi Murakami at a screening of Jellyfish Eyes at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, wearing a Kurage-bo hat.
Photo: via Ravepad.
Earlier this year, Murakami teamed up with Vans on a series of limited-edition sneakers. The artist is also known for sporting quirky and colorful clothes of his own design, including outfits inspired by his feature film, Jellyfish Eyes.