Welcome to the 97th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we revisit Marc Jacobs' time at Louis Vuitton, remembering the designer’s iconic moments and staggering influence.
Marc Jacobs was inducted under the Louis Vuitton namesake in 1997. The creative was appointed by LVMH Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Arnaught, shortly after his controversial discharge from Perry Ellis. With clear expectations to bring a youthful persona to the classic maison, Jacobs looked to celebrate the raw ethos of street culture while maintaining respect for the traditions of Louis Vuitton.
It would take a few years for the designer to feel comfortable in unveiling outlandish pieces, but at the turn of the century, we were invited to a new runway. This catwalk oozed with creativity and lacked any sense of social hierarchy, simultaneously embracing culture from the upper and lower class.
Louis Vuitton’s new chapter began in 2001, collaborating with Stephen Sprouse when collaborative efforts were a new premise altogether. Marc Jacobs doused every Louis Vuitton bag, trunk and clutch in vibrant, graffiti prints, pulling from the ghettos of New York and elevating them to the heights of couture.
Then came Takahsashi Murkami x Louis Vuitton in 2002, when Jacobs reinvented the monogram with 37 different colours. His approach to the beloved logo would change season after season, and eventually become a signature of the designer’s reign. Shortly after, Kanye West, or rather, the ‘Louis Vuitton Don’, would face the hip-hop scene, sporting the monogram alongside industry powerhouses like Pharrell Williams.
Sparking another collaboration in 2007, Ye and Pharrel would design the Louis Vuitton 1.1 Millionaire Sunglasses which would soon become a staple of the namesake. Yeezy and Jacobs would once again work together in a sole partnership to release the Jasper sneaker (named after Ibn Jasper), coming in three different colour ways. Marc Jacobs can be accredited for many of the ideals and cultural reference we see today, celebrating youth and diversity one logo at a time.
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