LV x Murakami
Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton 2025 campaign. Photo available via Louis Vuitton. ©All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
20 years on, the Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami collaboration has risen again. Via the 200 piece reedition collection, we can revisit one of the most iconic fashion and artistic partnerships. Whether you are fueled by nostalgia or critical of yet another remake, Murakami once again brings his signature vitality into the classic LV look.
To look into this reedition first requires a trip back to the early 2000s, when this enduring, and trailblazing, collaboration first began. It was thanks to Marc Jacobs, an American designer who acted as Louis Vuitton’s creative director from 1997-2014, that this collaboration came to be and set the precedent for fashion and art collaborations to come.
The first Takashi Murakami x LV collaboration is one of the most financially successful collaborations between fashion and art. The newly colorful LV bags were the absolute it-bag of the time, sported by the equally iconic corresponding stars of the era like Paris Hilton, Pharrell, Lindsey Lohan, and the list goes on.
This collection marked the first time the LV monogram was altered. Marc Jacobs sought out Japanese artist Takashi Murakami’s bright and whimsy brilliance to reenergize the brand’s otherwise austere, yet classic look. The collaboration between brand and artist continued throughout the following years, with the original line being discontinued in 2015. Its desirability grew in the years following, however, as the Y2k resurgence spiked. People turned to resale sites, eager to claim one of the original pieces from the era.
When it comes to the pieces themselves, there is an eye catching contrast between the classic LV monogram and bright, playful motifs of Murakami’s work. Looking back on this era of the early 2000s, it was perfectly suited to the popular culture and fashion of the time: over-the-top, colorful outfits with accessories to boot.
20 years later, the hype around the original collection remains and has spilled over into people’s excitement around the reedition. LV’s reedition campaign with actress Zendaya has already clocked $7.4 million in media exposure, in just one week.
Zendaya photographed by Inez and Vinoodh for the Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton 2025 campaign. Photo available via Louis Vuitton. ©All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
After these 20 years, we are where fashion trend cycles have long asserted, which is that trends tend to circle back 2 decades after their initial popularity. Since the rise of social media, though, there is a growing sense that these cycles are becoming compressed as content is created and discarded quicker than ever, facilitating the perceived need for newer trends. Even so, in the last couple of years we have seen a widespread turn to the past in hopes of revisiting this beloved Y2k era. This reedition is one example of many in which companies are trying to connect with consumers by means of nostalgia.
This nostalgia is a powerful incentive to engage with trends of the past, and a strong point in favor of this LV x Murakami reedition is the sentimental pull it has. Many people will be reminded of the first release and the impact it had on the fashion world. Also, seeing that it is 20 years on, teenagers at the time are now adults with buying power they didn’t have then. Seeing these designs they grew up coveting grants access to an emblematic piece of their youth; it is a transporting feeling and is almost like a second chance to own a piece.
On the other hand and where this could be a point of criticism is that this reedition comes at a time when it feels that everything is being remade, especially in the entertainment industry. The iconic success of the first Murakami x LV go-around may not be able to be replicated, especially as too much of a good thing can lead to a sense of saturation. While it brings nostalgia, the then-teenagers may have both a different wardrobe and a sense of practicality now, in which these louder pieces do not match.
What will be interesting to see in the coming months and years of this release is the relationship between the now-vintage originals of the first edition and the current pieces of the reedition. After the collection was discontinued and the Y2k era repopularized, prices of the originals skyrocketed on resale sites. This leads to a question that will pop up in nearly any conversation around relaunches/remakes: which is better? Will there be a delineation and preference made between the original pieces and the ones recently released?
These speculatory questions aside, the reedition of the Takashi Murakami x LV collaboration is a nod to one of the most successful collaborations between fashion and art. We can respect the artistry and the collab’s rightful place in fashion history. The reedition has benefitted from improved technology in the colors and details of his designs, yet stays true to the style for which Takashi Murakami has achieved international acclaim.
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami pop-up shopping experience in Soho, New York. Photographed by Brad Dickson. Available via Hype Beast. ©All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
With the addition of immersive pop-up shopping experiences and remastered animated films, you are once again invited into the artistic world of Murakami’s work through this collaborative avenue. Takashi Murakami has proven that his imaginative creations can jump across disciplines, and seeing his creations come to life in the context of a luxury fashion house demonstrates extraordinary creativity on both ends of the partnership.
This immersion is a shining element of such a collaboration between fashion and art. There is more dimension to an artistic fashion collusion than just brand or retail partnerships. Whether or not people plan to pick up a piece from this reedition, or the Cherry Blossom focused collection coming in March of this year, the scale of this reedition collection is jaw dropping and offers an opportunity to reminisce and reacquaint with the work of two legendary entities.
