Inside the Meatpacking District location, the design differs from the Soho setup, with an edgier, golden-yellow hue taking over floors, walls, and ceilings. Mirrored walls play up the bold, psychedelic design, which includes a bevy of 3D mirror balls inspired by Kusama's famous Infinity Mirrors art exhibit and book.Photo: Brad Dickson/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
NEW YORK—Proving that good things take time, Louis Vuitton’s new collaboration with acclaimed artist Yayoi Kusama, which was teased last spring, officially launched this month and, of course, it includes an immersive pop-up experience.
In addition to covering the exterior of its Fifth Avenue flagship storefront in New York with Kusama’s portrait and famous polka dots—accompanied by a lifelike Kusama robot window installation that went viral on TikTok—the luxury fashion house took over two spaces in the Meatpacking District and Soho neighborhoods to invite the city into the trippy, colorful world of Kusama.
To promote the global launch of the duo’s second collaboration (the first came in 2012 under the creative direction of Marc Jacobs), the two NYC pop-ups have been outfitted tip-to-tail with psychedelic motifs and 3D mirror ball installations inspired by the artist’s iconic Infinity Mirrors exhibit. Inside, guests can snap photos (a given) and shop the new collection of polka dot-clad ready-to-wear pieces, leather goods, accessories, shoes, fragrances, and more. Bonus: With any purchase, guests are given a token to activate a claw machine filled with mirror balls.
The temporary stores are only part of Louis Vuitton’s massive event marketing strategy, with a simultaneous in-person activation taking place in Harajuku, Tokyo (Kusama’s hometown), and additional larger-than-life storefront installations on display in Paris and London.
Both experiences opened this month, are free to the public, and will be accessible and shoppable through the spring. Keep scrolling for an insider look at the Maison’s New York pop-ups on Gansevoort Street and Prince Street...
