Christie’s New York is set to present “Scarcity & Infinity: An Important Collection” featuring the most comprehensive assortment of Louis Vuitton artist collaboration bags ever offered at auction. The set will debut as part of December Luxury Week, exploring art and design through the French luxury fashion house’s collaborations with artists like Takashi Murakami, Frank Gehry and more.
“As a collectible that you wear, a work of art that lives outside your home, ‘Scarcity & Infinity’ celebrates the handbag at the intersection of art, fashion and design,” Rachel Koffsky Parker, international head of handbags and accessories at Christie’s, said in a statement provided exclusively to WWD.
“Today, the boundaries between these disciplines are increasingly fluid, and the idea that a handbag can be collected alongside contemporary art is no longer a novelty, but an established and respected category in its own right,” Koffsky Parker said.
“Since Marc Jacobs first invited artists to reinterpret the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram in the early 2000s, collaborations between leading contemporary artists and the Maison have encouraged collectors to view the handbag not simply as an accessory, but as a wearable work of art,” said Koffsky Parker.
“Unlike a painting or a sculpture confined to the walls of a home, these objects accompany you through daily life, becoming deeply personal expressions of taste and identity.”
The private collection will be offered as part of “Handbags & Fashion: The New York Edit” from Nov. 25 until Dec. 10. One hundred pieces across 88 lots will be included, ranging from reimagined iconic classics to rare contemporary creations.
Among the finds is a pink and white Artycapucines Mini Tentacles by Murakami, from an edition of 95 and estimated at $10,000 to $15,000. Gehry’s red and white Capucines MM Floating Fish, inspired by the fish lamps he created for the Fondation Louis Vuitton, is estimated at $6,000 to $8,000. Both pieces, along with other artist collaborations, will be offered at auction.
“These designs do something magical; they take the art off the walls and place it in your arms, to be carried with you on your journey through this weird world,” Max Brownawell, head of handbags and accessories, Americas line, said in a statement.
