Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture

After watching the documentary previously posted about, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, I wanted to know more about their work, particularly looking at Louis Vuitton, as the film seemed to look more into Marc Jacobs personal brand. In order to do this, I looked at a book entitled 'Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture'. The book is a huge collection of Louis Vuitton work, with collaboration information, worldwide store designs, iconic campaigns, shows and products. The book is very visual, but also uses built in essays and research into designers the brand has worked with in order to create a very factual and beautiful book which I would definitely recommend to anyone!

Looking at an insert art essay written by Jill Gasparina, I was able to get further insight into the famous Louis Vuitton patchwork bag which I was fascinated by during the documentary. I was really interested in the way in which Marc Jacobs was able to design and create this unique bag, and this essay highlights process of the concept meetings with the bag, and also about the shock and media obsession over this bag. I really enjoyed reading further about how this bag caused so much inspiration to the fashion world, and the essay continues to explain the history of Louis Vuitton and how a passion for art has really inspired designers. This was something that related back to the documentary, where Marc Jacobs is shown to gain influences from some of his favourite artists, and I really love how the book reiterates this passion and love for art; expressing how inspiration can come from all types of art form. 

The book also shows some other amazing collaborations that Louis Vuitton has done, with artists, designers and photographers. Reading through these, I was unaware that one of my favourite photography duo, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, had done shoots with the brand. During my Alevel photography projects, this pair were a very strong influence of mine, encouraging me to think outside the box and be over extravagant with fashion photography, inspiring me to look into ideas such as using fairy tales as influence, and also to pursue underwater photography during the course. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott have being working on campaigns with Louis Vuitton since 2002 for their ready-to-wear collections, and the book explains a bit about the history of the photographers and their work with the brand. 

In my opinion, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott's work is very energetic and dynamic, making it look fun and attracting to the eye. They're work has always been a favourite of mine, and I love how they can tell a story with their images, taking you to a fantasy world whilst still making their models and fashion items look glamorous and elegant. The book explains how they like to focus on the appearance of the model rather than on technical aspects, something which is unusual for professional fashion photographers, and I believe that this is what makes their work so unique to other people. They like to put their own spin on things, and often work with the stylists in order to create their ideal creation, and inspiring aspect which shows their creativity as well as their photographic skills.

I was also attracted to work by Vanessa Beecroft, an artistic director I had not heard of before. Learning about her work with Louis Vuitton was fascinating, and I really love the ideas that she used with the brand, especially her choreography which was performed January 2006 at Espace Louis Vuitton, the 7th floor gallery of the Champs-Elysees flagship store. The models were told to be natural and plain, not to smile and do not move, whilst almost naked, with just small pants and heels with laces up their legs. The models sat on the shelves of the store, spaced around the Louis Vuitton accessories. This unique idea created live mannequins, and was a very unique aspect which brought Louis Vuitton to the medias attention. 

I think that Vanessa  Beecroft chose to do this in order to express the models as natural beauty's, whilst also not taking away the exquisite detailing on the Louis Vuitton bags, which sometimes cannot be appreciated with moving models. It also suggests that these accessories not only complete an outfit, but can also create one, expressing how their are so glamorous they do not need extravagant clothing to look beautiful. 

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