Takashi Murakami has the childlike energy that only comes with age and wisdom. One part mad genius, one part curious child prolific artist One of the biggest names in his field. And—her highly anticipated collaboration with Louis Vuitton hit stores in January—one of fashion’s biggest names.
Finally, the artist’s first collaboration with the leather goods brand in spring 2003 was an important moment. It began the spread of high fashion into all parts of pop culture, and blurred the lines between creativity and commerce that still defines the industry today. The smiling flowers and cartoon creatures that dotted the brand’s monogram bags came at a time when such collaborations were cutting edge — and before ‘kawaii’ had entered the mainstream fashion lexicon.
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
“I didn’t really know anything about fashion at the time,” he explains. circulationHe speaks via video call from his spacious, warehouse-like studio in Saitama, just north of Tokyo, with members of his staff mingling in the background. “For the first four years or so I visited Louis Vuitton’s headquarters frequently, so I remember it was a learning experience for me in how to build a brand,” he says, stroking his silver goatee. “Those 20 years passed in the blink of an eye.”
Since then, the 62-year-old has established himself as someone who has left his mark on the world. “I’m getting older, so I don’t feel embarrassed about anything anymore or have any goals that I want to achieve in the future,” he says. Back when he was tapped by Marc Jacobs He was a famous artist thanks to his collaboration with Louis Vuitton, but he’s nowhere near the prolific icon he is today. “When I used to go to Louis Vuitton runway shows in my shabby clothes I used to feel embarrassed, but these days I don’t care at all!” He laughs.
Their new collaboration features a new version of their previously-familiar flowers, pandas, and their “Creatures from Planet 66” (cute characters that look like leaves for hair), which appear on white and black rainbow-monogrammed bags, accessories and Even scattered in. a skateboard. The Pochette, Speedy, cardholder and more reappear, including some hardware updates and a ribbon-shaped bag charm. Naturally, there’s also a pet bag – what’s more Y2K than a portable Chihuahua?
