Yayoi Kusama’s Signature Spots Return to Louis Vuitton

The contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is famous for her paintings, sculptures and installations featuring kaleidoscopic polka dots, which originated, she has said, from a childhood hallucination where the red floral patterns of a tablecloth began to spread across “the room, my body and the universe.” In 2012, Kusama partnered with Louis Vuitton, then under the creative direction of Marc Jacobs, on a collaboration that featured her signature spotted motifs on classic totes, as well as on watches and shoes.

A decade later, the luxury brand has once again joined forces with Kusama, now 93. This time, her dots cover the French fashion house’s pre-existing silhouettes — including iconic ones like the Speedy and Alma bags — for a collection of leather goods, trunks, shoes and ready-to-wear that will debut in January. The adornments are applied to the monogram canvas through an innovative multistep serigraphy technique and some include bulbous metal studs inspired by “Narcissus Garden,” the artist’s immersive mirrored installation at the 1966 Venice Biennale. The result is a vibrant second chapter that reflects the best of both worlds.

Photo assistant: Jason Rogers