Takashi Murakami – the man who gave some oomph to Louis Vuitton accessories
What would happen if you were to combine the pinnacle of fashion design with an icon of Japanese contemporary art? Certainly don’t expect anything run-of-the-mill. On the contrary, the result will always be an entertaining and crazy ride full of colours!
Takashi Murakami studied Japanese painting at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music. After that, he exhibited his works in joint and solo exhibitions. His work is influenced by the traditional concept of Japanese art, but also by modern Japanese animation and manga (Japanese comics).
The inventor of the “Superflat style”
His style, which emphasises 2D forms has developed into an artistic movement known as Superflat. You can see a lot of small faces in his works, smiling little suns and his luxury pictures are an unforgettable feast for the eyes of anyone who is lucky enough to have seen them in real life. If you have not visited a gallery exhibiting his works, maybe you have come across his work in the form of fashion accessories, clothing and shoes. This is to say that the cheerful artist Murakami occasionally collaborates with luxury fashion houses!
Luxury Louis Vuitton handbags and Vans street fashion
The most famous collaboration was in 2003, when he got together with the creative director of Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, to design some fashion accessories.
He gained celebrity status in 2003 when his girl known as “Miss Ko2” – a plastic sculpture of a blonde in a sexy uniform – was auctioned in New York for USD 567,500. This was the highest sum a work by any contemporary Japanese artist had ever been auctioned for.
He collaborated with the rapper Kanye West in 2007, designing an album cover for him. His collaboration with the Vans brand is also well-known. Luxury trainers by this brand with his artistic signature are shoes which are surely sought after by all those who are young at heart.
