Everyone Is Talking About Vintage Louis Vuitton X Takashi Murakami

Everyone Is Talking About Vintage Louis Vuitton X Takashi Murakami

Up there in the pantheon of fashion greats, artist Takashi Murakami’s painterly collaborations with Louis Vuitton – debuted for spring/summer 2003, when Marc Jacobs was at the helm, and officially discontinued from stores in 2015 – have become almost as ubiquitous as the house’s signature brown monogram. So much so, that when it was announced that Louis Vuitton was releasing a re-edition collection, which nods to those beloved designs, there was a significant spike in searches across resale sites as fashion fiends hunted down originals.

“Our collaboration has produced a lot of works, and has been a huge influence and inspiration to many,” Jacobs said in 2009, when the Bilbao Guggenheim staged a retrospective of Murakami’s portfolio, featuring bags from the iconic partnership. “It has been, and continues to be, a monumental marriage of art and commerce. The ultimate cross-over – one for both the fashion, and art, history books.” The sentiment still stands.

Interestingly, though, it appears the new drop has inspired some people to hold onto these legendary bags: between December and January, immediately following the unveiling of Zendaya-fronted campaign for the new styles, Vestiaire Collective saw a 99 per cent decrease in listings, but a 60 per cent increase in prices. The top silhouettes? The leather and cloth Pochette Accessoire bags and the Speedy. On eBay, there was a 290 per cent spike in searches globally for the collection – 170 per cent in the UK alone – with users searching approximately 3.5 times a minute during the re-edition hype.

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Louis Vuitton SS05.

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As is often the case with vintage designer bags, the price of pre-loved pieces compared to brand-new buys can be lower – although, Louis Vuitton X Takashi Murakami prices are fluctuating right now, given the demand and their rarity – which broadens the demographic of those buying them. I’ve seen LV X TM Pochettes for £800 and up, whereas a new one will set you back £1,710.

Plus, vintage and pre-loved as a whole has become cultural currency among Gen Z, offering yet another reason to invest in a relic of fashion history. This is an audience that might feel a nostalgic, personal connection to the collection, as, back in the day, tabloids were often populated with paparazzi pictures of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson et al carrying the bags; many of these archival images still circulate on social media today.

Authenticity has been central to the partnership’s longevity. Murakami’s clever amalgamation of luxury and poppy, pithy fun – achieved by rainbow-hued emblems (the famed and exhaustedly-duped Multicolore monogram), cerise motifs, Monogramouflage, cherry blossom and manga characters – has heavily inspired the Y2K movement and the experimental accessories that have emerged at Louis Vuitton since. Like any legendary fashion collaboration should, LV X TM will be cherished in museums and wardrobes alike for decades – maybe centuries.

Shop vintage Louis Vuitton X Takashi Murakami bags:

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Pochette Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Speedy Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Keepall Bandoulière Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Fringed Pochette Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Papillon Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Pochette Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Speedy Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Alma Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Leonor Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Nano Speedy

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Alma Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Pochette Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Pochette Bag

Louis Vuitton

Takashi Murakami Trouville

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