A decade after their well-received inaugural collaboration in 2012, Louis Vuitton and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama are about to make us go dotty again for those purses and merch. Labelling this as a “second chapter”, Louis Vuitton will be releasing a range of bags and accessories featuring the polka-dotted motifs and patterns central to the work of the eccentric Japanese artist who is well-known for making use of her experiences with hallucinations and imaginings of infinity to inspire her art. The first drop will take place on Jan 6, which will be followed with a second drop on March 31 during the height of the Spring/Summer 2023 collection release.
The relationship between Yayoi Kusama and Louis Vuitton began in 2012. That year, the artist hand-painted a Louis Vuitton trunk with her characteristic polka dots – which to her, are a symbolism for infinity.
The collection was first spotted on the Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2023 runway show at the Salk Institute in San Diego on May 12. There, models carried bags such as the Dauphine that were decorated with cheery circular print that is unmistakably Yayoi. The dot motif also appeared in the form of three-dimensional metal studs on styles such as the Twist shoulder bag, the Cannes bucket bag and a new design for the season: a softly constructed trunk called The Side Trunk. The full collection will include ready-to-wear, bags, accessories and lifestyle objects.
Besides ready-to-wear, accessories and lifestyle objects, the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama outing also encompasses fragrances, which have been decorated with embossed printing of the artist’s dots.
Art fiends familiar with Kusama’s oeuvre will recognise the motifs present in this collection. These include the ‘Painted Dots’ which are represented via a process of silk-screening or embossed printing for a realistic hand painted effect. The hand-applied silver ‘Metal Dots’ that pop up on some items, meanwhile, are reminiscent of Kusama’s mirrored orbs from her 1966 installation Narcissus Garden. The ‘Infinity Dots’ motif – most famously seen on her pumpkin sculptures and paintings – as well as the unfurling ‘Psychedelic Flowers’ are also represented in the outing.
Scroll on for a preview of the selection of items which can already be pre-ordered in stores.
