Louis Vuitton, the renowned fashion label under the LVMH group, has once again joined forces with acclaimed architect Frank Gehry for a collaboration at the Art Basel Miami Beach contemporary art fair. The partnership showcased a special capsule collection of handbags designed by Gehry, known for his iconic, deconstructed buildings such as the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.
The collaboration was presented at the art fair through a unique exhibition stand that featured an array of trunks, perfume bottles, artworks, sketches, architectural models, and of course, the handbags. Created by Gehry himself, these pieces revolved around four main themes: architecture and form, materials exploration, animals, and the Twisted Box handbag.
At the age of 94, Gehry continues to display his remarkable creative energy. Throughout his illustrious career, he has designed and brought to life groundbreaking structures like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Luma Tower in Arles, France. His work is characterized by an organic aesthetic that sets him apart.
The limited-edition collection unveiled at the art fair comprises twelve handbag models. Some of these draw inspiration from Gehry’s most famous projects, with one standout piece being a clutch replicating his renowned Bear With Us sculpture. Craftsmanship and the use of unique materials take center stage in this collection. For example, the Capucines MM Concrete Pockets bag showcases an innovative embossed screen-printing technique that mimics the textures of concrete typically seen in Gehry’s architectural masterpieces.
Aside from the handbag collection, Louis Vuitton also showcased other works by Gehry at the art fair. These included the sculptural trunk titled “A Tea Party for Louis,” created as part of the exhibition commemorating Louis Vuitton’s 200th birth anniversary, as well as perfume bottles for the Les Extraits scents and preparatory models for the Louis Vuitton Foundation building in Paris.
Louis Vuitton has always maintained a close relationship with the art world. The brand has previously collaborated with notable contemporary artists such as Sol LeWitt, James Rosenquist, César, and Olafur Eliasson. Described by LVMH’s CEO Bernard Arnault as a “creative cultural company,” Louis Vuitton continuously seeks to rejuvenate its iconic monogram handbags through partnerships with various artists, including Richard Prince, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, and Stephen Sprouse.
Overall, the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Frank Gehry at the Art Basel Miami Beach art fair represents the fusion of fashion and architecture, underscoring the brand’s commitment to fostering creativity and artistic expression.
– For more information about Frank Gehry’s work, visit this link.
– To explore Louis Vuitton’s collaborations with contemporary artists, check out this article.
