Limited Edition Louis Vuitton Handbags
Louis Vuitton's first Limited Edition handbag was released in 1996 to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. Called the Centenaire Collection, it came in Damier print with vachetta leather. In 1997, Louis Vuitton hired it's first creative director, Marc Jacobs, who designed the brand's first ready-to-wear line and introduced bags made with Monogram Vernis material. During Marc Jacobs' tenure as creative director, he partnered with several artists including Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, and Yayoi Kusama to create limited edition bags that remain highly sought-after in the secondary market. The Louis Vuitton bag styles that were frequently part of the limited editions were its classic LV Keepall, LV Speedy, LV Alma, LV Pochette Accessoires and LV Neverfull. Marc Jacobs was also responsible for the launch of some of the most successful new Louis Vuitton handbags including the LV Neverfull and the LV Pochette Metis.
Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse
In 2001, Marc Jacobs and Stephen Sprouse designed a collection of limited edition bags with graffiti over the Louis Vuitton's classic monogram pattern. The idea for the collaboration came from seeing a layer of black paint on a monogrammed trunk at actress-singer Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Paris apartment. The gaffitti pattern was added to the Louis Vuitton monogram Speedy, Keepall, Alama and Pochette Accessoires in white, green and orange. Jacobs paid tribute to Sprouse in 2009 with a limited edition collection of bags and accessories with large roses over the classic monogram pattern, which was based on a sketch by the artist during their first collaboration. The 2009 launch also included bags in bright neon colors including green, pink and orange along with large Roses launch. The neon graffiti and roses pattern were added to the LV Monogram Keepall, Speedy and Neverfull handbags and coin purses. Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse bags remain highly sought-after in the resale market and continue to sell for multiples of the original retail if the bags are in excellent condition. The Louis Vuitton bags from the 2009 collection in excellent condition sell for multiples of the original retail price on the secondary market.
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami
Marc Jacobs partnered with Takashi Murakami in 2003 to create the Multicolore Monogram in 33 colors on white or black background. The Murakami Speedy was a huge hit in 2003 with Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Jessica Simpson and remains popular with celebrities today including Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. After the success of the Louis Vuitton Multicolore bags, Murakami continued his work with Louis Vuitton. The next collaborations included Cherry Blossom (2003), Panda (2004), Cerises (2005), MOCA Hands (2007 for Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles exhibition), Monogramouflage (2008), and Cosmic Blossom (2010). During the 12-year partnership, Louis Vuitton Multicolore bags were the most popular with buyers. With renewed interest in handbags from the '90s and '00s, Louis Vuitton Multicolore bags remain in high demand on the resale market, especially the classic Murakami Speedy bag. The Monogramouflage Keepall is also one of the most sought after limited edition LV Keepalls. The MOCA hands Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM sells for over $6,000 now, well over 2x it's retail price in 2007.
Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama
Louis Vuitton partnered with artist Yayoi Kusama in 2012, who brought her signature bold spots in yellow, black, and red to a complete line of LV handbags, accessories, shoes, and apparel. Marc Jacobs first met Kusama in 2006 and admired her energy at age 83 as well as her art. Kusama first became known in the 1960s when her abstract conceptual work was shown alongside Andy Warhol and George Segal. Her collaboration with Louis Vuitton also featured the artist's famous Infinity Nets pattern. The most popular handbags from the Louis Vuitton Kusama partnership include the Pumpkin Dot Neverfull and Speedy. The Kusama Neverfull and the Kusama Speedy sell for multiples of the original retail price on resale marketplaces when in excellent condition.
Louis Vuitton x Supreme
Louis Vuitton partnered with the most popular streetwear brand, Supreme, in 2017 and launched a limited edition collection of men's bags, accessories, shoes, and apparel that sold out globally in days. Louis Vuitton men's creative director, Kim Jones, and the founder of Supreme, James Jebbia, collaborated to create a collection in Supeme's signature red and white branding in Louis Vuitton epi leather. The collaboration also includes Supreme's box logo in black and white in Louis Vuitton Epi leather and Supreme Camouflage canvas. The most popular items from the collaboration were the red and white Epi leather bags and accessories. While prices in the secondary market peaked in 2017, the Louis Vuitton Supreme bags and accessories remain popular and sell for above retail on resale marketplaces.
