LOUIS VUITTON TRIBUTE TO STEPHEN SPROUSE
Dear iDEALS, Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs paid tribute to Stephen Sprouse with an evening of events in honor of the visionary
artist. The event launched a new limited-edition Stephen Sprouse collection which is available in Louis Vuitton
stores worldwide starting last Thursday, January 9th, 2009.
In addition the evening will celebrate the opening of the Stephen
Sprouse exhibit, Rock on Mars, on show at the Deitch Projects Wooster Street Gallery from January 8th to February
28th.
Louis Vuitton Artistic Director Marc Jacobs was a long-time admirer of the artist and designer Stephen Sprouse
who, in the New York of the 1980s, pioneered the merging of downtown street wear with uptown
fashion, and
whose graffiti had become an unmistakable signature on clothes and artworks. In 2001 Marc Jacobs asked Sprouse
to work together on Louis Vuitton's spring-summer collection and together they created the iconic Monogram
Graffiti collection: a series of handbags covered in graffiti that sold out before reaching stores.
At this occasion the Louis Vuitton Soho store, with a graffiti painted façade, introduced limited-edition Stephen
Sprouse T-Shirts and special edition skate-board trunks created specifically for this occasion. All proceeds from
these sales will be donated to Free Arts NYC. In addition Louis Vuitton is making donations to the Sprouse Estate as
well as the Stephen Sprouse Memorial Scholarship Fund at the National Academy for Design.
At the after party guests were taken back to the days of pop art and punk glamour.
The Bowery Ballroom was
transformed into a world of graffiti and day-glo in homage to Stephen Sprouse. Behind the red carpet was a wall of
66 vintage television sets playing various clips of Stephen Sprouse's runway shows and films in addition to
interviews of close friends of the artist.
Guests entered the ballroom through a tunnel covered in neon pink graffiti
with an oversized image of Sprouse at the end. The event included a special performance by Sprouse's personal
friend, rock legend, Debbie Harry who sang in front of a pulsating representation of Sprouse's iconic Rose design.
Her performance was followed by DJ Jus Ske on the turntables.
Photos available c/o Louis Vuitton, Patrick McMullan, Wireimage and Getty Images
Last but not least, I love Madonna in new L.V campaign. Madonna is L.V!
Also Thank You Fred Bonn for the link: http://www.welovesprouse.com/
A tribute Website was also created:
http://www.welovesprouse.com/
check it out.
Posted by: Fred | January 15, 2009 at 11:32
Love Steven Sprouse,
I met him once in Ny when I was a stylist I'll never forget that guy.
Posted by: salvatore Caputo | January 14, 2009 at 21:57