Louis Vuitton's Infinitely Kusama Collection (And All Its Hype) Will Have You Seeing Spots.

If you can connect the dots, you'll have seen this latest collaboration between luxury brand Louis Vuitton and 83 year old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her dots, waves, pumpkins and brightly colored severe haircut, hyped to the hilt.



above: A wax figure of Yayoi Kusama stands in one of the window displays of Louis Vuitton's Flagship New York store

Along with the launch of the new womenswear ready-to-wear collection (the entire collection of which is shown further down in this post), the New York flagship store has been covered in dots with its windows filled with wax figures and miniature versions of the artist surrounded by her work and the collection:





The Whitney Museum has a Kusama Retrospective timed to coincide with the collection's release.



The Tate Museum just featured an exhibit of Kusama's works, and the line is accompanied by artworks that will be showcased in the Louis Vuitton New Bond Street Maison’s dedicated exhibition space.

Yayoi Kusama: Princess Of The Dots:


iPhone App:


As part of the collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, Louis Vuitton has created an iPhone app that turns any picture into a unique visual inspired by the artist’s signature waves or Dots and upload it to their online gallery, Visions of the Kusama World.



Collaborations between artists and fashion houses are nothing new, but this one is being heralded like the Second Coming.

The collection includes four subcategories based on the signature art styles of Yayoi Kusama: Dots, Waves, Pumpkin and Town. The expansive line includes Fashion and Fine Jewellery, Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Luggage, Scarves, Pareos, Pumps, Flats, Sunglasses and Ready-To-Wear fashions.


above: The pumpkin bag is a precious creation of galvanised metal with pure gold and resin

While I'm a fan of Kasuma's work, some of the pieces in the new collection are truly fabulous while others look like they came straight from Minnie Mouse's wardrobe closet. No doubt about it, you gotta like dots to like Louis Vuitton's Infinitely Kusama Collection.

The Infinitely Kusama Accessories:
Infinitely Kusama Pumps:

Infinitely Kusama flats:

Infinitely Kusama Watch, Collar, Snood and Shawl:

Infinitely Kusama Fashion Jewellery:

Infinitely Kusama Handbags and leather goods:

Infinitely Kusama Luggage:

Infinitely Kusama Pareos and Beach Towel:

Infinitely Kusama Pumpkin scarf and charm:

Infinitely Kusama Town Monogram Silk Scarf:

Infinitely Kusama Sunglasses:



The Ready to Wear Infinitely Kusama Womenswear collection:









Most of the collection is available in store only, but you can shop for some of the accessories online here

Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kasuma's Infinitely Kusama Collection

Michael Toschi Redefines The Ballet Flat For Women and Children With LUV Footwear.

The influential relationship with his 9 year old daughter was the catalyst for footwear designer Michael Toschi's new LUV Footwear brand and their new Dream Flats for Adults, youth and toddlers.







Through a modern ballerina flat that serves as their first canvas, LUV celebrates art through the wearable form of footwear for toddlers, youth and women. Always looking for ways to improve upon form and function, Toschi spent years developing the brand’s signature ballerina flat. In addition to a seasonal core collection of solids, prints and innovative fabrications, LUV’s vision is to create a platform that will enable others to print original artwork on the ballerina flat and thus share their creative vision with the world.








Check out their 2012 debut collection catalog below.
Adult/Youth - Printed Lycra:




Adult/Youth - Patent, Metallic and Rhinestone:



Toddler - Printed Lycra:




Toddler - Patent and Metallic:


About:

LUV Footwear believes art is empowering and inspiring. LUV’s logo, the infinite hearts, represents the boundless possibilities of creativity. Our intention is to host a borderless platform to encourage meaningful ideas and heartfelt emotions expressed through the form of art. Through a modern ballerina flat that serves as our first canvas, LUV celebrates art through the wearable form of footwear. LUV Grows.


below: Michael Toschi


An accomplished and respected designer with many achievements, Michael Toschi began his career in footwear at the ripe age of fifteen.

During the next decade spent working at the side of his mentor, Michael traveled worldwide slowly building a keen knowledge of his craft and appreciation for artisanal culture. These formative years provided a foundation upon which he has built several brands, and an unrivaled reputation among the international design community.

Iconic footwear brands which include Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Ugg, Esprit, Banana Republic have looked to Michael to passionately encourage in-house design teams to innovate. Paired with his technical expertise, the infectious way in which he communicates this knowledge has proven to spark many golden ideas, supporting the ideology that he may very well be the King Midas of the footwear industry.

Today Michael sits at the helm of Michael Toschi International, a men’s footwear brand of luxury shoes and fine leather goods hand-crafted in Italy. Based in California, Michael visits factories regularly in Italy to work alongside production, guiding and instilling an unmatched level of quality control within all products. Through this level of detail and craft, the Toschi brand has earned the reputation as the “Ferrari of footwear.”

Alongside his professional accomplishments, as a father Michael has developed a heart-felt passion for supporting creative expression among young girls.

LUV Footwear