For the past five years, Louis Vuitton has invited a select group of contemporary artists to put their spin on the Capucines bag, a timeless piece named for the Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, the Parisian street that was home to the brand’s first boutique. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the sleek, rectangular silhouette resembles a blank canvas. Previous cohorts for the Artycapucines project have included Josh Smith, who painted his signature technicolor lettering onto the pebbled leather surface; Tschabalala Self, who enlivened a robin’s egg blue version with a riot of quilting; and Henry Taylor, whose bag featured a striking portrait against a dove grey background.
This year, the lineup is particularly strong and varied, with artists from around the globe working in myriad media—and introducing all sorts of playful surprises into their designs.
South Africa-based Malawian artist Billie Zangewa scanned and printed a portrait of her son onto the bag’s exterior, adding texture and depth through hand stitching and embroidery. Meanwhile, the Polish painter Ewa Juszkiewicz’s version features a hand-sprayed image of her 2021 painting Ginger Locks, embellished with a string of golden pearls. Hidden inside is a detachable leather envelope, inspired by 18th century love letters.
Liza Lou, the American sculptor known for her beaded assemblages, rendered one of her soothing Cloud Paintings in a soft leather wrap that drapes around the outside of the bag, leaving its core shape untouched while adding extra storage space.
Tursic & Mille, a duo of French-Serbian artistic partners, reimagined the bag in an abstracted flower shape with a handle made from charred cedar and applied one of their retro-evocative paintings to the front. Beneath the flap, you’ll find an embroidered cartoon dinosaur and a golden zip pull based on a discarded cigarette filter.
Chinese artist Ziping Wang, who refers to her minuscule creation as “Sweet Tooth,” embellished the smallest Artycapucines yet with leather marquetry and enamel details inspired by candy, fruit and flora.
Like the finest works of art, there are only a handful available. Each bag has been produced in limited editions of 200—so if you’re considering adding one to your collection, the time to act is now.
