Since the arrival of Marc Jacobs as Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton, the brand’s collaborations with world-renowned artists have become the norm, rather than the exception. In the past, the company has worked with Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Yayoi Kusama and the late Stephen Sprouse. For its newest store in Miami, Louis Vuitton enlisted the help of LA-based graffiti writer Marquis Lewis, known as RETNA.
The arrival of Louis Vuitton to the Design District heralds a new era for this vibrant neighborhood, known for its interior design showrooms, specialty stores and architectural firms. In accordance with the art environment of the community, the brand commissioned RETNA to create an original work that reflected a distinctive Miami palette and a reinterpretation of the company’s moniker. The result is a façade awash in a veil of blue, teal, pink and purple hieroglyphs consistent with the artist’s preoccupation with ancient typographies. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with RETNA, an artist whose work blurs the lines between beauty and edge,” said Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet, President and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America to the Miami Herald.
The store opens into a specialized travel room that displays a selection of classic trunks, luggage, and travel-specific accessories, a must have for the stylish set. Furnished with antique Parisian furniture, the ground floor houses a curated selection of leather goods, ready to wear, shoes, fashion jewelry, eyewear and textiles for men and women. The second floor offers a more exclusive space that provides an intimate experience for clients. This new location will serve as a temporary site. The permanent store will open to the public in the neighborhood in 2014. ■
