Prominent fashion designer Marc Jacobs designed this travelling bag in collaboration with artist Stephen Sprouse for the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2001 leather goods collection. The brown leather bag has an all over pattern featuring the traditional Louis Vuitton insignia overlaid with a scrawled ggraffitti pattern in silver paint.

When acquiring this bag, the Museum received the following notes from the local Louis Vuitton office about the 'Speedy' as the bag is known. The notes read "inspired by a visit to Charlotte Gainsbourg's apartment, Marc Jacobs noticed a Louis Vuitton hard suitcase inherited from her father Serge. The suitcase was covered in black paint but allowed the Monogram canvas pattern to show through, giving Marc Jacobs an idea which evolved into a perfect marriage between tradition and modernity'.

The bag was one of a number of Louis Vuitton bags Jacobs designed in collaboration with Stephen Sprouse for the Spring/Summer 2001 collection. Since becoming the designer for Louis Vuitton in 1997, Jacobs has successfully modernized the label and captured the indefinable quality that makes an accessory a 'must have'. Accessories have become important for prominent fashion houses as they can account for a larger percentage of a designer's profits than the couture or ready-to-wear. Accessories are sold at a price accessible to a larger market and can increase a house name's recognition.

American designer Marc Jacobs (born 1963) attended Parsons School of Design, where he received many awards including the 1984 Perry Ellis Golden Thimble Award. While a student he designed and sold his first collection of hand knitted sweaters. By 1986 he had produced the first 'Marc Jacobs' collection and in 1987 was the youngest designer to be awarded the USA fashion industries highest tribute 'The Council of Fashion Designers of America Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent'. He joined Perry Ellis in 1989 and in 1992 was awarded 'The Women's Designer of the Year Award'. 'Marc Jacobs International' was launched in 1993 and a secondary women's collection 'Marc Jacobs Look' in 1995. In 1997 he was appointed artistic director of Louis Vuitton. His appointment can be seen as part of a trend during the 1990s for established European fashion houses to revitalize their label by employing the best of new talent.

Since the 1800s, French company Louis Vuitton has been internationally known for the high quality of its luggage and leather products. Nowadays the company owns over 200 stores throughout the world and is fastidious about distribution and manufacture. Under Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton has expanded its product line to include ready-to-wear garments and fashion accessories.

The bag complements the Museum's collection of accessories as well as outfits by Marc Jacobs under his own label and for Louis Vuitton acquired for the Grand Marnier Powerhouse Museum Fashion of the Year program in 1998. The bag was part of the selection for the 2001 Fashion of the Year program. Since 1991 a panel of fashion editors and curators has selected a number of garments to represent significant designers and trends in international and Australian fashion. The garments and accessories are displayed in the Museum and become part of the permanent collection.

The Louis Vuitton Monogram Silver Graffitti "Speedy" bag was designed for Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2001 Women's collection.

The Sydney office for LV supplied the following notes about the design: "Marc Jacobs, in collaboration with celebrated New York underground artist Stephen Sprouse, paints graffitti onto the Monogram canvas.

Inspired by a visit to Charlotte Gainsbourg's apartment, Marc Jacobs noticed a Louis Vuitton hard suitcase inherited from her father Serge. The suitcase was covered in black paint but allowed the Monogram canvas pattern to show through, giving Marc Jacobs an idea which evolved into a perfect marriage between tradition and modernity".

Marc Jacobs (born USA 1963) trained at the Parsons School of Design in NYC where he won the Design Student of the Year Award and the 1984 Perry Ellis Golden Thimble Award. While a student he designed and sold his first collection of hand knitted sweaters. By 1986 he had produced the first 'Marc Jacobs' collection and in 1987 was the youngest designer to be awarded the USA fashion industries highest tribute 'The Council of Fashion Designers of America Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent'. He joined Perry Ellis in 1989 and in 1992 was awarded 'The Women's Designer of the Year Award'. 'Marc Jacobs International' was launched in 1993 and a secondary women's collection 'Marc Jacobs Look' in 1995. By the mid 1990s he was touted as New York's best new talent. He was appointed Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton in 1997.

Made in the workrooms of Louis Vuitton in France.

The bag was presented as part of the Louis Vuitton Women's leather good Spring summer 2001 collection.

The Louis Vuitton bag has been displayed at the Fashion of the Year event and in the 2001 Fashion of the Year Exhibition.

note: the company did not allow the Museum to parade the bag for the event. The Museum displayed the bag in a showcase at the entrance of the marquee.
The Fashion of the Year 2001 panel selected the bag. The curator approached Louis Vuitton's representative in Australia, who organized for the bag for inclusion in the Powerhouse collection.

Bag, travelling, 'Speedy', and packaging, leather / metal, designed by Marc Jacobs in collaboration with Stephen Sprouse for Louis Vuitton's Spring / Summer 2001 women's leather goods collection, Louis Vuitton, France, 2001

Travelling bag designed by Marc Jacobs in collaboration with Stephen Sprouse for Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2001 women's leather goods collection. The 'Speedy' travelling bag is rectangular and made of textured, printed dark brown leather. The bag is printed all over with the Louis Vuitton logo and simple floral motifs in light tan and overlaid with a scrawled 'graffiti' pattern in silver paint spelling out the words 'Louis Vuitton', 'SPEEDY', and 'LV'. A small gold metallic padlock with two keys is attached.

The bag comes complete with a tan-coloured cotton flanellete drawstring storage bag, two paper carry bags, a paper wrapping pouchette and a length of ribbon.

Designed: Jacobs, Marc;

Made: Louis Vuitton; Paris, France; 2001


Used: Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences; Sydney; 2001

see parts

2002/95/1