When pictures surfaced on social media a fortnight ago suggesting that a collaboration between luxury French fashion house Louis Vuitton and cult NY skate brand Supreme was in the pipeline, the internet went into overdrive. This morning, ahead of the Louis Vuitton AW17 menswear show in Paris, it has been confirmed that the collab is happening, and will be debuted on the catwalk this afternoon.
Kim Jones, menswear artistic director at Louis Vuitton, explained to WWD how the incredibly hyped partnership happened: “You can’t have the conversation of New York menswear without Supreme right now, because it’s such a massive global phenomenon... I used to work when I was at college unpacking boxes of Supreme at a company in London that distributed it when it was just starting out, so it’s something I’ve known all along in my life. I just feel that the strength of their graphic versus the strength of the Louis Vuitton graphic, and that kind of Pop Art feeling — it works together perfectly."
The collection, stamped with both brands' iconic logos, includes denim, scarves, camo jackets and three styles of bag – a rucksack, a holdall and a bum bag. Get ready to see these pieces all over Instagram and worn by every girl and guy you know who's into streetwear.
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Ironically, in 2000, Louis Vuitton’s legal team sent Supreme a cease-and-desist letter when the skate brand recreated the French fashion house's instantly recognisable monogram print on skateboards. Now, 17 years later, an official union between the brands has finally happened, and we can't wait. "It’s just forward-thinking. People don’t really expect those sorts of things and I think that’s what’s nice,” Jones told WWD. "Actually, I think it’s the modern thing to do. Everyone’s talking about it and no one’s doing it, and we’re doing it."
The collection will go on sale at select Louis Vuitton stores on 17th July and, potentially, at a number of pop-up spaces. Having seen the endless queues outside Supreme's Soho store every day of the week, we're anticipating a fashion stampede when the collection drops later this year.