From evoking memories of childhood joys to shedding light on the depiction of women, five esteemed artists infuse a fresh perspective into an iconic piece. Can fashion truly encapsulate art? For the fifth successive year, Louis Vuitton confidently answers with a resounding "yes", presenting their renowned Capucines bag as a blank slate for innovative artists such as Billie Zangewa, Ewa Juszkiewicz, Liza Lou, Tursic & Mille, and Ziping Wang in the newest Artycapucines series.
“It's not just a creation; it embarks on its own journey once it steps out of our workshop,” mused the Franco-Serbian duo, Tursic & Mille, about their artistic partnership with the iconic French label. Their interpretation of the Capucines bag introduces a fresh narrative on visual saturation, adopting a botanical design encapsulating a vividly embroidered and color-enhanced 2021 piece. Similarly, Chinese artist Ziping Wang viewed the accessory as a dynamic canvas, stating, “The bag, in its essence, is a fluid sculpture, designed to be admired from every viewpoint.” Her creation, named “Sweet Tooth,” is reminiscent of the sheer joy from a childhood delicacy. This compact yet striking piece speaks volumes about today's intensely visual world. Describing her creative journey, she mentioned, “I handpicked motifs that would naturally embrace the bag's form and even crafted a collage-based paper prototype to visualize it.”
Grounded in the narrative of the suppressed portrayal of western women, Billie Zangewa, an artist based in South Africa, layered her artwork The Swimming Lesson (2020) employing techniques like print, embroidery, and meticulous hand-stitching. In contrast, Ewa Juszkiewicz, hailing from Poland, chose a vivid print of her artwork Ginger Locks (2021), enhanced with a golden pearl chain. American artist Liza Lou, widely acclaimed for her intricate bead artistry, thoughtfully incorporated soft-hued beadwork embossed on leather for her rendition.
Tracing back to its roots, the Capucines bag is a nod to Louis Vuitton's inception when the founder set the cornerstone of the brand's legacy with his debut store on Rue Neuve-des-Capucines in 1854. This continuous dalliance between art and fashion has remained consistent in Louis Vuitton's narrative, from the art commissions by Vuitton’s grandson, Gaston-Louis in the 1920s to contemporary collaborations like Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton.
Today, these limited-edition, freshly revealed five bag designs augment the existing collection of 29, reinforcing Louis Vuitton's unwavering passion for art, viewed through a contemporary lens.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/10/louis-vuittons-fifth-iteration-of-artycapucines-has-arrived
