Takashi Murakami with a bespoke Multicolore Monogram trunk. Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
The once-discontinued Louis Vuitton line is now returning with a triumph two-chapter collection this January and March.
Generation Z can only imagine a time when Takashi Murakami‘s influence ruled the 2000s: The Rainbow Flowers, Kanye West’s Graduation album art, and most significantly, the domination of the Monogram Multicolore in pop and celebrity culture.
It was Spring/Summer 2003 when the original collaboration first premiered on the catwalk under the creative direction of Marc Jacobs, who invited the Japanese artist to reinterpret the signature geometric flower and initial print. Featuring over 33 different colors on a black or white background and took a high-level of craftsmanship to produce the canvas, with the same number of silkscreens.
This marriage of art and commerce was revolutionary for Louis Vuitton’s image, which was considered archaic and bourgeois, and started to attract a younger, fashion-forward customer. Before Instagram and influencers, we had US Weekly and paparazzi culture capturing and documenting the It-girls of the time, such as Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Jessica Simpson wearing a Murakami original.
After the debut of Monogram Multicolore came subsequent designs, such as the Cherry Blossom (2003) famously immortalized by Regina George, and Monogramouflage (2008) as sported by John Mayer. Over a decade later, we’ve seen the likes of Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, and Bella Hadid toting vintage Pochettes and Keepalls as the print was discontinued in 2015 by Nicholas Ghesquière.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary, Louis Vuitton will be releasing a re-edition collection with more than 200 different styles and designs. Although we won’t be seeing exact Y2K models, there will be plenty of reimagined favorites and nods to the classics: such as the City Bags, the Coussin, the Dauphine, the OnTheGo, and the Speedy. In the category of entry-level products, we have SLGs such as wallets and card holders, hats, scarves, sunglasses, shoes, and even a fragrance.
This isn’t just any ‘collab’; if anything, this is the partnership that kickstarted a generation of collaborations for Louis Vuitton with artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Damien Hirst, The Chapman Brothers, and Jeff Koons. It paved the way for other luxury brands to mimic the same strategy, and ultimately, the Monogram Multicolore has branded the 21st century in its colors with a visual cultural impact that’s endured in fashion, music, art, and history.
The Louis Vuitton X Murakami collection will be available to order worldwide from January 1, 2025.
