From Yayoi Kusama to Takashi Murakami, Louis Vuitton bids on revivals to improve Asia performance

What happened Popular culture’s buzziest luxury collaboration is back. The latest Louis Vuitton collection co-designed by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami debuted in Asia on January 1, a strategic move to revive waning luxury market momentum in the region. For the rest of the world, online preorders started on New Year’s Day, with items hitting shelves today. An extensive reedition of the iconic 2003 Monogram Multicolore collaboration with Murakami, this iteration’s offering consists of over 200 pieces. The French house and esteemed artist have covered many bases, from skateboards, trunks, and sneakers, to 33 takes on the much-adored Speedy Bag. Featuring house ambassador Zendaya in boldly colorful visuals shot by Dutch-American photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh, the playful campaign underscores Louis Vuitton’s emphasis on youth appeal. The “Superflat” promotional animé short films have been revived, too. Set to roll out in two phases, in January and March, immersive pop-up activations — inspired loosely by Japan’s capsule hotels and featuring cafés, cinemas, and experiential installations — will be held in seven cities. Shanghai is hosting a weeklong retail space, cinema, and café adorned with Murakami’s signature flower cushions. In Seoul, an ice cream shop and photo booth are enhancing the buzz, and a Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton café has opened on Cat Street in Harajuku, Tokyo, among other pop-up events in the city. The Jing Take Debuting in Spring 2003 under then-creative director Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton’s vibrant Monogram Multicolore by Murakami was a cultural juggernaut, embraced by real and fictional icons of the noughties from Paris Hilton to Mean Girls’ Regina George. It generated more than $300 million in sales in its first year. The combination of Y2K nostalgia and consumers who were around for the first collection now having more disposable income, makes this an adroit move for the French fashion house. Evidently, this collaboration is part of Louis Vuitton’s comeback strategy. The brand’s recent store closures and sales performance highlight the challenges it faces in the critical Asian market. The brand closed its Zhuozhan shopping center store in Shenyang on October 15, 2024, consolidating operations at a single location in MixC Mall. Meanwhile, the label’s highly anticipated Beijing flagship, initially scheduled to open in Q1 2024, has been postponed indefinitely. Parent LVMH does not break out Louis Vuitton’s financial performance, but on a group level, in Asia (excluding Japan), where the Chinese market dominates, sales declined by 16% YoY in Q3 2024, deteriorating from a 14% YoY dip the previous quarter. On Xiaohongshu, #LVMurakamiTakashi has amassed 5.5 million reads at the time of writing, with the Julu Road Shanghai pop-ups generating masses of photos online, and queues winding almost all the way to Fuming Road, fashion consultant Emily Yao told Jing Daily. “The average age of consumers at the pop-up was 25 to 35,” says Yao. “When it first launched, I was in high school, so it reminds me of the good old times. Those Y2K themes.” Some 12.5 million posts relating to Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami have been posted on global platform TikTok — the vibrant pop-ups are made for visually delicious videos. Waiting two decades to revive the collection has proven wise, as Y2K trends have settled in the fashion zeitgeist, and those who enjoyed the first collection are nostalgic for it, though this time round, it’s less of an innovation, and more of a pop culture-focused memory-stirrer for Louis Vuitton collectors and Y2K-loving Gen Zers. Judging by netizens’ reactions, the collection will be a money-spinner. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Can Louis Vuitton x Murakami repeat its $300M success?

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Can Louis Vuitton x Murakami repeat its $300M success?