Louis Vuitton's latest collaboration is with New York-based artist Jeff Koons. The collection, titled Masters, consists of handbags and accessories designed with iconic works by Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Vincent Van Gogh.
The capsule is inspired by Koons' "Gazing Ball"series, where he reconstructs iconic pieces of art paired with a metallic gazing ball in the front, giving the a viewer a new perspective on the artwork. "You're able to have a larger life with with more breadth to it," Koons explained in a video.
Getty ImagesA Koons "Gazing Ball" piece in the Louvre Museum.
For the handbags, he took a similar approach. The leather (with a the painting printed onto it) acts as the canvas, and the metallic nameplate acts as a reflective gazing ball.
Louis Vuitton
"I would hope that when somebody walks down the street with this that what they're doing is, they are really celebrating humanity," he continued. "I hope somebody that sees the bag can emotionally feel this connectivity."
Louis Vuitton / YouTube
"I believe that these bags are art," Koons says. Literally. The capsule includes Vuitton Speedy bags, chain bags and Palm Springs backpacks embellished with paintings like da Vinci's Mona Lisa or Van Gogh's "A Wheatfield with Cypresses."
The LV x Koons collection drops in select Vuitton stores starting on April 28. Prices range from $585-$4,000. See all the pieces now on louisvuitton.com.
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Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
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