Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama make retail art

A partnership with the Japanese artist goes viral.

Normally I would do everything in my power to avoid the Champs-Élysées, a renowned name that has degenerated into a retail hellscape of chain stores that attract tourists like flies to a carcass. But wandering through several appointments recently, I was forced to walk a couple of blocks of this otherwise dreary destination where I stumbled across the delightful collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Centered around a polka theme, Kusama has developed a whimsical series of clothing and handbag designs while also transforming several Louis Vuitton stores (New York, Tokyo, Chengdu, and London). into contemporary art installations. The flagship store in Paris features an inflatable likeness of Kusama hovering over the edge of the building.