Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned for her immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms and distinctive polka dots, left an indelible mark on the art and fashion worlds, most notably through her collaborations with Louis Vuitton. Kusama, who died on August 14 at the age of 97, partnered with the French luxury house on two separate occasions, infusing Louis Vuitton's iconic designs and global boutiques with her unique aesthetic.
The artist's foray into fashion with Louis Vuitton began in 2006 when then-creative director Marc Jacobs visited her Tokyo studio and received a polka-dot-painted Ellipse bag. This personal gift foreshadowed the first major collaboration, titled "Dots Infinity," which launched in 2012. This collection coincided with Kusama's career retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. The collaboration saw Louis Vuitton's accessories, apparel, and eyewear adorned with Kusama's trademark spots. The retail rollout was an international spectacle, with store windows dressed in polka dots and a wax figure of the artist displayed at the Fifth Avenue flagship.
Jacobs described Kusama's work as possessing an "obsessive character and innocence," noting her ability to share her vision of the world. The initial collaboration was characterized by a playful yet profound integration of Kusama's art into wearable fashion.
A Grander Encore in 2023
The second Louis Vuitton x Kusama collection, launched in January 2023 under the artistic direction of Nicolas Ghesquière, was even more expansive. This 450-piece collection introduced new techniques, allowing Louis Vuitton to replicate the textured effect of Kusama's brushstrokes on leather. It also featured pieces incorporating metal half-spheres, a nod to her 1966 "Narcissus Garden" installation.
Iconic handbag styles such as the Speedy, Alma, Keepall, and Neverfull received the polka-dot treatment. One of the collection's highly sought-after items, a pumpkin-shaped yellow bag, later fetched $151,200 at a Christie's New York auction in 2024. Storefronts worldwide again became viral destinations, with a towering Kusama sculpture gracing the Champs Élysées store in Paris and a robotic version of the artist painting dots in a Manhattan boutique window.
The "Creating Infinity" campaign that accompanied the 2023 collection featured notable figures like Bella Hadid, Gisele Bündchen, and Justin Timberlake, photographed by Steven Meisel. Hadid expressed a personal connection to Kusama, relating to her "healing mental struggles through artistic freedom and creation."
Artistry and Mental Health
Kusama was open about her lifelong engagement with mental health challenges. She voluntarily resided in a Tokyo psychiatric hospital from 1977 until her death, dedicating her days to painting in a nearby studio. For Kusama, the distinction between creating sculptures, clothing, or any other art form was negligible. "Be it a sculpture or be it clothes, for me it is the same thing. It's my creation," she stated in 2012. "I don't see any difference. It is part of my art."
Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari paid tribute to the artist following her passing, hailing her as "one of the greatest artists of contemporary art." He emphasized her ability to shape her life and work with "extraordinary freedom, imagination, and vision," acknowledging her immeasurable influence on art and culture.