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.
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:
link