Commission · Retail · Japan
Louis Vuitton
Commissioned art for four stores across Japan
Briefed by Louis Vuitton's headquarters in Paris, Kyoto Art Gallery created original commissioned artworks and the art direction for the renewal of the Louis Vuitton store at Fukuya Hatchobori, Hiroshima. The brand has since returned to us for three more stores — in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo.
- Client
- Louis Vuitton
- Scope
- Art direction and commissioned original works
- Stores
- 4 in Japan
- Locations
- Fukuya Hatchobori, Hiroshima · Nagoya · Takashimaya, Osaka · Seibu Ikebukuro, Tokyo
- Our role
- Brief, artist selection, creative direction, production, and installation
The brief
For the renewal opening of its store at Fukuya Hatchobori in Hiroshima, Louis Vuitton's Paris headquarters asked for original artwork that would belong in the space — not decoration added afterwards, but work made for the brand, the new store concept, and the architecture.
How we worked
Listening first.
We studied the brand's world, the concept of the new store, and the interior design in detail before proposing anything.
Choosing the artist.
From our network of 1,600 Japanese artists, we selected the artist whose language fit the brief, and presented the reasoning to the client.
Directing the work.
We stayed in close dialogue with the artist through every stage, translating the brand's expectations into clear creative direction.
Installing on opening day.
We handled delivery and installation through to the morning the store opened.
Every decision came back to one question: which work, by which artist, belongs in this space? Our job is to make the brand, the artwork, and the space speak to one another.
Four stores, one partner
After Hiroshima, Louis Vuitton commissioned us again for its stores in Nagoya, at Takashimaya in Osaka, and at Seibu Ikebukuro in Tokyo.
For a global luxury brand, repeat commissions are the clearest measure of trust. Each project asks for the same things: an understanding of the brand, judgement in choosing the right artist, and reliable delivery to a fixed opening date. We have now delivered that four times.
Four stores. One partner. Trusted to deliver every time.
Planning a project of your own?
Whether it is one statement piece or works for multiple locations, we manage the commission from the first brief to installation, in English, anywhere in the world.