An amalgamation of tradition and innovation, the third chapter of Louis Vuitton’s limited-edition Artycapucines Collection sees six contemporary artists bring their unique visions to the brand’s timeless piece: the Capucines bag. Named after Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, the Parisian street on which founder Louis Vuitton opened his first store in 1854, this classic piece provides an ideal blank canvas to inspire unbridled artistic expression.
For the 2021 edition, six internationally acclaimed artists—Gregor Hildebrandt, Donna Huanca, Huang Yuxing, Vik Muniz, Paola Pivi, and Zeng Fanzhi put their signature spin on the iconic bag, transforming it into exclusive works of art that make for great conversation starters.
Gregor Hildebrandt
The German artist’s screen-printed Capucines showcases his love of vinyl records and his trademark “rip-off” technique where he places double-sided adhesive tape on canvases and rubs the magnetic coating of audio and VHS tape to leave intricate powdery patterns.
Donna Huanca
Donna Huanca’s precise, powerful, and tactile bag echos the brushstrokes of two of her strikingly alive abstract paintings through multiple embroidery techniques.
Huang Yuxing
Beautifully embroidered and brilliantly coloured, the Chinese artist transforms the Capucines into a rainbow-like fantasy landscape.
Vik Muniz
The Brazilian artist brings his playful aesthetic to the Capucines with effervescent trompe l’oeil effects and beautiful textual layering. The 154 icons that feature on each bag range from teapots and pineapples, to elephants and the Louis Vuitton Monogram flower.
Paola Pivi
Reimagining her installation of a leopard surrounded by cappuccinos, the Italian artist’s bag is a masterpiece of leather marquetry and rich gold-leaf gilding. Her design also includes two safari-inspired pockets on the front–a first for the Capucines.
Zeng Fanzhi
Lastly, Zeng Fanzhi masterfully translates a Van Gogh self-portrait on the Capucines through more than 7,00,000 remarkably worked embroidery stitches.
A seamless blend of the artists’ unique creative language with the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the House’s skilled artisans, the Capucines embodies Louis Vuitton’s unending commitment to savoir-faire and craft. Each bag in the third Artycapucines Collection will be available in a limited edition of 200 and released in stores worldwide at the end of October 2021.
