Medicom Toy have worked with world renowned artist/designer Matt Black to create this distinctive collection of items for FABRICK. Matt Black provides a really interesting outlet of creativity having worked with the likes of Dior Homme and contributing to i-D magazine.

The collection consists of a number of bags and accessories created with Porter to offer a strong heritage to a unique approach. The tote bag, brief case, and schedule note cover are also accompanied by another iconic Medicom Toy piece with a Bearbrick figure. Each items is defined by the all over print which features some typically astute imagery well recognised to Matt Black’s work.

Below is some images from various mediums of work in which Matt Black has implemented over the years including photography, creative direction and more.

Larry Clark

Tony Alva

Futura

Nigo

Matt Black also creatively directed the Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse events earlier this year

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Christophe von Hohenberg is the photographer who documented Andy Warhol’s memorial service for Vanity Fair in 1987 has created his images into a book titled ‘Andy Warhol: The Day The Factory Died’. Signing copies of the book at Clic Gallery last week the photographer got to share his images of a sad occasion but of course a social event of that time. People who you can expect to see in the book are Yoko Ono, Keith Haring, Debby Harry, Diane von Furstenberg, Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, Paloma Picasso and Stephen Sprouse. 

Image PaperMag

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There is no doubting Louis Vuitton’s position as a leading name in the fashion world having gone beyond the roots of craftsmanship of bags. This latest publication explores many aspects of LV that have created their image into what it is today with the title explaining, Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture. Providing an insight to the various projects and people LV have come accross effecting the luxury brands existence with 400 pages discussing the history and association with numerous personalities from the world of art, architecture, design, photography and fashion. A special deluxe version will release on September 1 online at LouisVuitton.com and at Louis Vuitton stores and features artwork by Takashi Murakami. Here is a synopsis of the book as well as a three-question interview with Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton and Creation

A symbol of elegance and the French art de vivre, Louis Vuitton has cultivated a close relationship with the world of art since its founding in 1854. Inventing the art of travel, Louis Vuitton and his successors kept pace with a rapidly changing age, and worked with the most accomplished engineers, decorators, painters, photographers and designers of the day. This fascination with ever-new forms of expression grew through the subsequent decades and continues today under the guidance of its artistic director, Marc Jacobs; shoes, watches, jewelry and ready-to-wear collections have joined alongside the malletier’s distinctive bags and travel accessories.

Louis Vuitton’s interest in the arts began in the 1980s when it started working with painters like César, Sol LeWitt and Olivier Debré. Demonstrating the influence of art on artisanship, these richly textured collaborations became a tradition and reached a new level when Marc Jacobs joined the House in 1997. Passionate about contemporary art, Jacobs invited some of the world’s most renowned artists to join forces with Louis Vuitton, increasing the points of exchange between art and fashion to an unprecedented degree. Among these renowned partnerships, the late Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince even intervened directly with the House’s Monogram, freely appropriating its forms and visual identity. Collaborations between Louis Vuitton and other artists have taken a variety of forms: shop window designs, site-specific art installations for stores, exhibitions at the Espace Louis Vuitton on the top floor of the Champs-Elysées Maison, and the acquisitions of new works for the House’s own collection. In the same spirit, Louis Vuitton has called upon an international pantheon of architects to design its stores, including Jun Aoki, Kumiko Inui and Peter Marino. Advertising campaigns have also created opportunities to work with talented photographers as Jean Larivière, Annie Leibovitz, Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

Interview with Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton

Why publish today a retrospective book on the major collaborations of Louis Vuitton?
At Louis Vuitton, the influence of art has been an obvious inspiration for new products, store architecture, artistic collaborations, and for the Maison’s advertising campaigns. Our will to build and grow our relationship with the contemporary art world has led us to work with numerous artists of our times such as photographers, architects and fashion designers. It was essential for Louis Vuitton to trace, through an enthralling anthology, its most significant artistic collaborations. In this book, the focus remains on artists that have impacted the history of Louis Vuitton.

What is Louis Vuitton’s role in the world of the contemporary creation?
Of all modern luxury brands, Louis Vuitton can claim to maintain the richest and most varied associations with the world of art – indeed, it is a tradition that dates back almost to the origins of the House. This desire to continuously create and reinvent, whilst maintaining and transmitting the history and identity of the brand, has been transformed into multiples collaborations, most of time quite unexpected. Constantly renewed under the influence of Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton’s commitment to the arts has recently been underscored by the establishment of the Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation, announced in October 2006 by Bernard Arnault, Chairman & CEO of LVMH/Moët Hennessy.Louis Vuitton. The future Fondation will be an exciting new space and concept intended to stimulate dialogue with a wide audience and offer artists and intellectuals a platform for discussion, inspiration and reflection. If the brand inspires artists, designers and architects, they, in return, inspire Louis Vuitton. This mutual inspiration is very challenging and productive, not only for the luxury world, but also for the contemporary art world.

How do you explain the success of Louis Vuitton’s collaborations?
Fashion, luxury, art and architecture unite to propose a new vision of the world and take us away from the ordinary. Contemporary art gives us an alternative point of view. Modern architecture, inseparable from the luxury world, plays a key role in setting Louis Vuitton’s name in present time. The fashion industry and its designers give a fresh energy and a unique creativity to the House’s ready-to-wear collections. A contemporary artist, whether he is an architect, a photographer or a fashion designer, often produces unexpected creations. It is a bold challenge for Louis Vuitton and I believe that only a handful of brands have been able to surpass the boundaries to this point between luxury and contemporary creation.

A selection of 80 Artists
Haluk Akakçe, Azzedine Alaïa, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Jun Aoki, Ron Arad, Arman, Gae Aulenti, Shigeru Ban, Philippe Barthélémy & Sylvia Griño, Vanessa Beecroft, Manolo Blahnik, Eric Carlson, Gilles Carnoy, César, Jaime Chard, Kirill Celuskin, Sandro Chia, Claude Closky, Patrick Demarchelier, Olivier Debré, Vincent Dubourg, Olafur Eliasson, Teresita Fernández, Sylvie Fleury, Frank Gehry, Romeo Gigli, Jean-Paul Goude, Guzman, Zaha Hadid, Hans Hemmert, Anouska Hempel, Fritz Hansen, Kumiko Inui, Arata Isozaki, Marc Jacobs, Alexey Kallima, Rei Kawakubo, David LaChapelle, Xavier Lambours, Helmut Lang, Jean Larivière, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Ange Leccia, Annie Leibovitz, Sol LeWitt, Christian Liaigre, Michael Lin, Katherina Manolessou, Peter Marino, Raymond Meier, Miss.Tic, Isaac Mizrahi, Nicolas Moulin, Takashi Murakami, Malakeh Nayini, Jean-Jacques Ory, Martin Parr, Bruno Peinado, Fabrizio Plessi, Richard Prince, Andrée Putman, Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Razzia, Ugo Rondinone, James Rosenquist, Alberto Sorbelli, Stephen Sprouse, Philippe Starck, Sybilla, Juergen Teller, Ruben Toledo, Nicole Tran Ba Vang, James Turrell, Inez van amsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Julie Verhoeven, Zhan Wang, Vivienne Westwood, Tim White-Sobieski, Robert Wilson, William Adjété Wilson.

Info from I Lvoe LV.

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The highly anticipated Louis Vuitton “A Passion for Creation” exhibition is now open. Showcasing an comprehensive list of artist compiled by the Fondation Louis Vuitton pour la Création with various mediums of work a huge attraction at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. This remarkable installation includes some names that just run of your tongue with frequent LV collaborators Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince and Stephen Sprouse. While other names include the likes of Jean Michel Basquiat, Paul Chan, Cao-Fei, Yang Fudong, Gilbert & George, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Andreas Gursky, Pierre Huyghe, Jeff Koons, Bertrand Lavier, Christian Marclay, Richard Prince all included. The exhibition is open until August 9, so if you are planning a summer holiday why not head over to Hong Kong.

Many thanks to HB for the comprehensive footage.

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When you consider the stature of collaborations and similar projects this one reigns supreme. Renown artist Richard Prince, a name we interview in the recent issue of THE NEW ORDER has created an installation of mass proportions. The Hong Kong Museum of Art in Tsim Sha Tsui is the location while for Prince’s “After Dark” series with the skyline serving as the back drop. Another notable addition in this project is Marc Jacobs and with the exhibition include a number of different mediums on hand from paintings and photographs to video installations under the moniker of “Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation”.

While the works include more recognizable names in the stature of greatness with Jeff Koons, Bertrand Lavier and Stephen Sprouse, also contributing work to the Fondation Louis Vuitton pour la Création. The opening set to take place on Friday, May 22nd wlll include the attendance of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault, Marc Jacobs, Prince, Takashi Murakami and Frank Gehry. You have until Sunday, August 9th to catch a glimpse of this hue effort.

Thanks to WWD for the news.

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Images: Inqmnd

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Thanks to Juxtapoz for the info.

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Thanks to Wallpaper.

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Thanks to WWD for the imagery.

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LE BOOK — the international reference for the creative industry — announces the release of its New York 2009 edition, art by fashion “punk glamour god” and design icon Stephen Sprouse (1953 – 2004). This year  marks the five-year anniversary of Sprouse’s passing and LE BOOK is honored to have his work “dress” its publication, continuing a lineage of cover artists that includes Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto and Azzedine Alaïa. 

Sprouse is widely recognized as the “rock star” of ’80s and ’90s fashion, although his creativity extended beyond the runway to include designing album covers, sets, and multi-media installations while dressing the likes of Madonna, Courtney Love, and Mick Jagger. A member of the downtown club scene, Sprouse counted Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol among his close friends and muses. He is responsible for populari-zing Day-Glo fabrics, embossing pop-culture icons onto clothing, and hand-painting graffiti. His uncanny ability to blend high and low culture is best embodied in his creation of the infamous Louis Vuitton graffiti bag, and his influence can still be seen today in the advertising, fashion, music, and design worlds. 

A true collector’s item, LE BOOK New York 2009 showcases Sprouse’s unique rock-chic aesthetic influenced by art, glamour, and grit. It’s also one of several projects showcasing the designer’s work that help make 2009 the year of Stephen Sprouse. This month Marc Jacobs will pay his tributes with the launch of a limited-edition line of accessories and ready-to-wear for Louis Vuitton with designs from their 2001 collaboration; Deitch Projects will exhibit the Stephen Sprouse retrospective, “Rock on Mars”, and Roger and Mauricio Padilha will release The Stephen Sprouse Book. 

LE BOOK is honored to play a part in preserving Sprouse’s legacy. Although Sprouse’s life was tragically cut short in 2004 at the age of 50, rare snapshots and sketches from his wildly successful 1985 Spring collection are featured in the three-volume reference, cover-to-cover. 

For over 25 years, LE BOOK has defined itself as the go-to resource for the global creative community. With editions in New York, Paris, London, and soon to be Berlin, LE BOOK sources all needs related to image creation and branding while showcasing the world’s most inspirational talent. The New York 2009 reference will be available for purchase this coming March at select locations including Colette in Paris, 10 Corso Como in Milan, and MoMA Design Stores throughout the US. 

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Images & Info: WWD

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STEPHEN SPROUSE – ROCK ON MARS 
January 9 – February 28, 2009 

Presented in collaboration with LOUIS VUITTON 

DEITCH PROJECTS 
18 Wooster Street 
New York, NY 10013 
212 343 7300 

www.deitch.com

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“SoHo is a special place for the entire launch of the Sprouse collection,” said Daniel Lalonde, Louis Vuitton North America president and chief executive officer. “It’s in the proximity of where Stephen Sprouse hung out, so we are going to give the entire store a Stephen Sprouse feel. It will have a lot of reminders of Stephen Sprouse. We will be giving it a new identity.”

For instance, the company is wrapping the store in vinyl and spray painting neon graffiti all over the facade. The window display will feature a 6-foot neon light installation in Sprouse’s Rose motif. The store’s interior, enhanced with black brick wall facing, will also be sprayed with the neon graffiti.

The collection will launch in its entirety at the SoHo boutique on Thursday. The complete worldwide launch will follow on Feb. 2, though the Rose pieces will be available at Louis Vuitton stores worldwide starting Friday.

For the launch, the luxury goods company is also creating two limited edition pieces, which will only be available at the SoHo location: a Stephen Sprouse graffiti skateboard replete with a hard case monogram skateboard trunk, and a Stephen Sprouse “Roses” T-shirt. The company hopes to sell three graffiti skateboards with trunks for $8,250 each, and 70 T-shirts for $250 each. “I don’t expect them to last very long,” Lalonde said. “By Friday, there probably won’t be any more left.”

Proceeds will benefit Free Arts NYC, which provides underserved children throughout New York City with special arts programs. Vuitton is also making an undisclosed donation to the Sprouse Estate, as well as the Stephen Sprouse Memorial Scholarship Fund at the National Academy for Design here.

Sprouse became known in the Eighties for his graffiti art and fashion designs. In 2001, Vuitton artistic director Marc Jacobs collaborated with Sprouse and created an instant must-have accessories collection with the Monogram Graffiti collection. Sprouse died in 2004, and Vuitton made its first donation to the fund in 2006 when Jacobs created a scarf in Sprouse’s honor, using one of the collaboration’s leopard prints.

Vuitton will honor the late artist with three events this Thursday. The night will kick off with cocktails at the Vuitton boutique on Greene Street, with a simultaneous event at nearby Deitch Projects’ Wooster Street Gallery for the opening of the “Rock on Mars” Sprouse retrospective. Afterwards, Vuitton and Jacobs will host a bash at the Bowery Ballroom, featuring a performance by Sprouse’s friend Debbie Harry, followed by DJ Jus Ske. The venue is expected to have a Sprouse feel, with a special graffiti-and-neon decor.

“It’s something new from Vuitton to start the year off,” Lalonde said of the collection. “The product, design, and expression are uplifting and rejuvenating. That’s the feel we try to provide for the evening and for the collection.”

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