Long before Marc Jacobs introduced fashion to Louis Vuitton, the LV logo has been the design staple for the iconic French house since 1854, leaving its mark far longer than Mr Jacobs. To celebrate Louis Vuitton’s 160th Birthday, executive vice president Delphine Arnault has asked 6 creatives including Karl Lagerfeld to give their interpretation of the signature LV monogram for a series of bags.
Joining the Chanel master is photographer Cindy Sherman, architect Frank Gehry and designers Marc Newson, Christian Louboutin, and Rei Kawakubo for the collaborative project aptly named The Icon and the Iconoclasts. “We have assembled an amazing group of talents – geniuses, I would say. Each one is among the best in his or her field,” Arnault told WWD. “The monogram is at the centre of our house, so we celebrate it every day. But we thought this project was really special because the personalities we chose are fascinating and diverse.”
Sure to be an instant sellout like Louis Vuitton’s last collaboration for the centenary of the monogram in 1996 when the brand invited Azzedine Alaïa, Manolo Blahnik, Romeo Gigli, Helmut Lang, Sybilla, Vivienne Westwood, and Isaac Mizrahi to design a range of products using its logo to the delight of customers.
The limited collection will be accompanied by a separate advertising campaign, dedicated web site, alongside a commemorative book and launch event in New York. Will you be joining the waiting list?