Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama

Already expected to be the collaboration of the year, Louis Vuitton partners once again with fine artist Yayoi Kusama after a decade. And an extensive collaboration it is, with ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories and fragrance, each with a dedicated high profile campaign. 

The Japanese artist first collaborated with the French fashion brand back in 2012. This new special edition collection is centred around Yayoi Kusama’s painted dots, metal dots, infinity dots and psychedelic flowers. 

The Installations 

But, personally what excites me the most about this collaboration (aside from the lust-after collections - 2nd drop is available from 31st  March by the way) is the big celebratory installations not to be missed in many cities globally. And when I say big, I literally mean huge, check out the 15m statue of the artist outside Harrods.  

In London these Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama installations have been scattered throughout  Mayfair and are even featured on the screens in Piccadilly Circus, whilst the stores across the city have been wrapped in branded animations. 

In Paris, a giant inflatable replica of the artist is lying over the top of Louis Vuitton’s Champs-Élysées store, whilst in New York City a robot of the artist can be seen painting the window of the store on fifth avenue. This has quite literally been turning heads and I’ve been mesmerised watching the footage over and over - is she real or is she fake? Join the conversation and let us know what you think. 

Meanwhile in Harajuku, Tokyo (Yayoi Kusama’s hometown), the collaboration is celebrated with a vibrant polka dot-filled pop-up store, filled with iconic motifs and features a huge life-like sculpture of the artist that stretches across the two-storey space. Wow. 

Harrods 

For me, the brilliant team at Harrods have truly pulled it off and turned the store into the centrepiece of this collaboration here in the UK. Ha, even my husband was literally spotted (couldn't help myself) taking selfies in front of the store with the signature polka dot design scattered across the grade II listed facade. All 27 windows were also dressed with the collection, as well as an immersive infinity room pop-up located in-store. 

“At Harrods, we’re bringing Yayoi Kusama to life, placing a 15m sculpture of the artist outside our entrance, where she is seen to be painting her colourful dots across the magnificent façade of our Grade II-listed building,” says Alexander Wells-Greco, creative visual director at Harrods. “‘Crafting Infinity’ also includes playful installations inside the store, spheres of all-surrounding colour and instantly immersive mirrored walls to mesmerise our customers.” Read on here.  

So what do you think of this campaign? Would you go big or go home? Go big of course! If you’re looking to work with an agency that is all about creating big, bold, brilliant campaigns worth talking about, then get in touch.