Tonight, Vuitton is celebrating Takashi Murakami's "© Murakami" exhibition with a "Brooklyn Ball" at the Brooklyn Museum featuring a special performance by Kanye West, the unveiling of a new camouflage print developed by Murakami and Marc Jacobs called Monogramouflage and a special installation designed to bring attention to one of the industry's biggest travails — counterfeits.
But rather than simply hand out leaflets to alert guests about the importance of protecting original designs, the French luxury goods house will be taking a novel, somewhat intriguing route. Outside the museum, Vuitton is setting up 10 New York-style street vendors — not to sell fakes, but rather authentic Louis Vuitton product and special Monogramouflage canvases that Murakami has created specifically for the exhibition.
The Murakami exhibit opens its doors to the public on Saturday. Just like the previous MOCA edition, it will feature a special 550-square-foot Vuitton boutique, located within the exhibit on the museum's fifth floor. The store will offer multicolor monogram handbags and small leather goods, as well as 300 art canvas squares featuring the new Monogramouflage design, in coated canvas, denim and printed canvas. The first 50 of each edition will sell for $6,000, and the second batch for $10,000. Murakami also created three larger canvases, which will be auctioned at the gala tonight.
Sales from the Brooklyn Museum's store and the street vendors on the night of the gala will benefit the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation.
The Monogramouflage collection featuring luggage, handbags, small leather goods, costume jewelry and ready-to-wear will launch at the museum on June 1 and will be available at select Vuitton stores worldwide starting June 15.
Murakami told WWD that the collection had its origins a year or so ago, when he swung by Jacobs' SoHo studio. "Marc had a precise idea," Murakami said, although Monogramouflage isn't his first work in camouflage: In the past, he has produced prints featuring his iconic Mister DOB figure in a camouflage setting.
