Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Unveil Artycapucines VII

The iconic Louis Vuitton x Murakami partnership returns with the Artycapucines VII collection, featuring 11 reimagined handbags unveiled at Art Basel Paris.

WORDS Neyani Mphephu PHOTOS Supplied 

Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami have once again joined forces to create something extraordinary. The luxury fashion house unveiled the Artycapucines VII – Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Collection at Art Basel Paris, featuring 11 stunning interpretations of the iconic Capucines bag, transformed into portable works of art. 

Visitors at Art Basel Paris were greeted by Murakami’s custom eight-metre octopus sculpture, with sprawling tentacles reaching across the Grand Palais’s Balcon d’Honneur. The installation, inspired by Chinese lanterns and featuring the artist’s signature Jellyfish Eyes pattern, created an immersive environment where each Artycapucines creation was displayed within the creature’s embrace. 

The 11 Artycapucines creations on display reflect Murakami’s signature characters and motifs, including Mr. DOB and the Superflat Panda, alongside his celebrated Smiling Flowers. The collection is anchored by three of Murakami’s Plush Balls, spherical works that he has been developing since 1995. Originally drawing inspiration from the trompe-l’œil effect in Maurits Cornelis Escher’s lithograph Hand with Reflecting Sphere (1935), these three-dimensional soft sculptures create an immersive, kaleidoscopic environment that envelops visitors in Murakami’s vibrant artistic universe.

Standout pieces in the collection include the playful Capucines Mini Tentacle, inspired by the artist’s Mr. DOB octopus sculptures; the technically ambitious Capucines EW Dragon, which required revolutionary engineering to recreate his colossal 18-metre Dragon in Clouds – Indigo Blue painting; the refined Capucines BB Golden Garden with intricate leather marquetry and a gold-leaf finish; and the sculptural Panda Clutch, crafted from gleaming silver-tone brass and adorned with 6 250 individually placed crystals.

The Artycapucines collection has become a prestigious platform since 2019, featuring more than 30 distinctive designs by celebrated artists from across the world, including Beatriz Milhazes, Ugo Rondinone, Zhao Zhao, Daniel Buren, Vik Muniz, Henry Taylor, Paola Pivi, Urs Fischer, Alex Israel, Park Seo-Bo, and Tschabalala Self. | eu.louisvuitton.com

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