The latest collaboration between artist Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton isn't something you wear, it's something you watch. His latest work for the brand is called Superflat First Love, an anime short film. The movie was directed by anime-master Mamoru Hosoda and is based on Murakami's ideas and characters and of course there is plenty of Louis Vuitton product placement as well.

As Fast Company reports this is the second anime that Murakami has created for Louis Vuitton. The first, Superflat Monogram is after the jump.

Every season it seems the European fashion houses try to outdo each other with one incredibly decadent item of men's clothing; despite the recession it seems this year is no different. We've seen Salvatore Ferragamo's $250,000 crocodile trench coat and Hermès' $150,000 crocodile pea coat; now here's an alligator officer's jacket from Louis Vuitton's Fall/Winter 2009/10 collection recently shown in Paris. Louis Vuitton mens design director Paul Helbers described the collection as inspired by "the traveling wardrobe of an African king." The jacket has not been priced yet is expected to sell for somewhere in the $50,000 - $75,000 range, and will probably only be available by special order.

[via JustLuxe]

We're having a Buzz Aldrin week here at Luxist. Not only is the legendary astronaut appearing at the Omega Store in New York City today but he is also part of a new ad campaign from Louis Vuitton along with Sally Ride and Jim Lovell. Aldrin, who walked on the moon in 1969 was shot by Annie Leibovitz with his fellow astronauts posed with a battered pickup truck and a Louis Vuitton Icare travel bag while gazing up into the sky in the California desert. The campaign marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. The Wall Street Journal reveals that the astronauts each donated a "significant" portion of their modeling fee to Al Gore's Climate Project. Astronaut Neil Armstrong was also invited to participate in the campaign, which will appear in the July issue of several magazines, but declined the offer.

Google has decided to let more U.S. advertisers use trademarked terms in ad text on search result pages as of June 15. For advertisers who want to promote the top brand names through Google keywords, the change being made by the search engine company is an opportunity but owners of prestige brands don't see it that way. They see use of their terms in Google's "Sponsored Link" ads is a trademark violation.

Under the old policy if a company wanted to advertise the brands they sell they may not have been able to use specific keywords. But now while that advertiser can promote brands he sells this also opens the window to all sorts of attempts at fraudulent advertising and the selling of counterfeit merchandise. According to Bloomberg, Google has said it will still "perform a limited investigation of reasonable complaints about use of trademarks in ads." Google's website instructs trademark owners to go after the advertisers themselves.

For luxury brands the keywords may not be as much of a problem as Google's own native search results. Do a search for Louis Vuitton and online retailers selling "replica" bags are right there on the front page, no advertising required. Louis Vuitton parent company LVMH has already taken on Google in French court over a long and involved trademark- infringement lawsuit in Europe which is ongoing.

Louis Vuitton has had an online presence for a while now but they are stepping up their game today by introducing the Totally Monogram tote online first. It is available exclusively on www.louisvuitton.com until June 1st and sells for $1,000.

Louis Vuitton has also joined the Twitterverse. You can follow them @LouisVuitton_US (they don't appear to own the @LouisVuitton name on Twitter yet but I suspect they'll go after it). A press release promises that the Vuitton Twitter feed will offer info on new products and Louis Vuitton events. So far the Louis Vuitton Twitter feed isn't too interesting but if you are going to follow them, we recommend you follow us too (@Luxist). We'll do our best to keep you entertained.

As my colleague Jared Paul Stern recently pointed out rather brilliantly, there's a lot of awful Vuitton fakery out there. Recently Rick Ross appeared on XXL Magazine's May issue looking very cool in a pair of Louis Vuitton sunglasses. One problem,Louis Vuitton says they are not Vuitton shades. The XXL Magazine website displays a letter from the hardworking Vuitton legal team saying that the sunglasses feature counterfeit Louis Vuitton trademarks. The letter goes on to say that "Louis Vuitton did not grant permission to Mr. Ross or to whoever did make the sunglasses to use our trademarks" and that "no affiliation, sponsorship or association exists between Rick Ross or XXL and Louis Vuitton."

All Hip Hop reveals that the glasses were actually made by Jacob Bernstein, "the sunglasses pimp" who says the frames are authentic Louis Vuitton Millionaires and that his additions are no different than tricking out a Rolls Royce. Right. Sounds like someone at LVMH needs to fire up the Lawsuit-o-Matic 5000 and get to work.

[via MTV]

Spotted in Monaco recently was this pimped-out Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe customized in a Murakami multicolored Louis Vuitton monogram, belonging to the infamous Prince Marcus von Anhalt. Von Anhalt, who's said to have essentially bought his title - Prinz von Anhalt, Herzog zu Sachsen und Westfalen, Graf von Askanien in full - by paying Zsa Zsa Gabor and her ninth husband Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt millions of dollars to adopt him, is one of Germany's largest and most high-profile brothel and nightclub owners.

He refers to himself as "Prince Germany" and apparently uses the Rolls to promote the Royal Race, a Gumball 3000-style exotic auto rally he launched last year. The Prince, who's been known to pal around with Pamela Anderson, claims to be a millionaire "in the three digit range" and to own 26 cars plus luxury real estate in several countries including Monaco and Dubai, attended by 12 bodyguards and 25 servants. This looks to us like not only a crime against taste but exactly the kind of thing LVMH's lawyers love to sue over.

[via JamesList]

If you were to commission Louis Vuitton to create a bespoke trunk made to hold anything you desire, what would it be? Last year we wrote about Karl Lagerfeld's custom Vuitton trunk made to hold his collection of 20 iPods. Pretty cool if a little over-the-top. A Chinese gentleman has commissioned something more grandiose and yet more mundane from the famed French luxury goods house, which will produce anything within reason.

The client "wanted to be able to watch television and offer coffee to his friends wherever he traveled in the world, including the remotest desert," LV's Patrick-Louis Vuitton recounts. "We agreed to put two solar panels linked to a battery for the flat-screen TV and DVD player, two-way radio, tuner and coffee machine." The trunk (above), covered in Damier canvas, took a year and tens of thousands of dollars to complete.

Meanwhile, Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs remarked at the Met Costume Institute Gala in New York last night that luxurious trunks are not likely to make a comeback. "I don't think there's anything practical about travelling with a trunk," Jacobs said. "Luxury travel is traveling with a toothbrush. That's it, end of story. The people who really live luxurious lives don't need to pack. They've got stuff wherever they go."

Sad but true: the recession has hit the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in the South of France next month, an international symbol of glamorous excess. Cutbacks are being made everywhere, from ritzy parties to the type of food being served, the AFP tells us. For starters, Vanity Fair has canceled its annual star-studded party, the social highlight of the festival, while the VIP nightclub Jimmy'z lost two key sponsors, Fendi and Swarovski, and Louis Vuitton said it would skip AmFar's big-ticket AIDS charity fundraiser.

"We're experiencing an unprecedented world crisis and it's also affecting the Riviera and Cannes," says Michel Chevillon, head of Cannes' hotel association. "Companies are sending fewer people, for shorter periods." 70% of the area's hotels have frozen their room rates compared to last year, and many are taking bookings for less than the full 12-day period, something normally unheard of at festival time, Chevillon tells the AFP.

Overall attendance at the festival is expected to be down for the first time in decades. "People are afraid it will hurt their image to be seen in a place associated with wealth," Cannes deputy mayor David Lissnard tells the AFP. Yacht charters are also suffering, as brokers struggle to find clients in Cannes' port, where all 60 berths for megayachts were booked up in anticipation. "There's a lot less demand this year for yacht rentals and a lot of pressure on prices," says broker Valerie Ruiz, who rents out yachts up to 200-ft. for the festival.

Usually Louis Vuitton is on the suing end of lawsuits but it currently finds itself as the sued. Clint Arthur, who purchased several works by Takashi Murakami at the Vuitton boutique set up at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, is suing both Vuitton and the MOCA. Arthur first filed a lawsuit a year ago over a lack of proper documentation in regards to the two limited-edition prints he bought for a total of $12,000 in 2007. But now Clint Arthur considers himself the victim of a fraud after finding out, through an interview that the show curator Paul Schimmel did with ARTINFO in 2007 tthat the prints are made from the same materials as Murakami handbags. Basically Arthur could have bought himself a handbag for around $1,000 with the same fabric and some bonus hardware too.

Louis Vuitton says the blurring of art and commerce is part of the Murakami experience. Vuitton points out that Arthur has declined an offer of $12,000 plus interest which Vuitton alleges shows that the suit is just a bid for publicity and profit. Arthur for his part seems to be angry and driven by an urge to get to the bottom of the motives of both Murakami and Louis Vuitton. A hearing is scheduled for Monday on the motion to dismiss from Louis Vuitton.

In a Classicist column last summer we reminisced about the the golden age of motoring when one would embark on an automobile journey with elegant picnic and cocktails cases carefully stowed in the boot of the car. On May 19th we'll get another glimpse into the bygone era of traveling in true style when Christie's London South Kensington branch auctions off an amazing selection of vintage Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Dunhill luggage. With the favorable exchange rates currently in effect it's an enticing opportunity to build a collection with lasting value, while truly timeless luxury items are more appealing than ever.

"Harking back to a golden age of travel, vintage luggage encapsulates the glamor and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style," notes Christie's' Director of Textiles Pat Frost. "These exquisitely crafted pieces evoke a time when the journey was as important as the destination. With iconic names including Louis Vuitton, Dunhill and Hermes leading the field and remaining very collectible they not only functional but design objects in their own right."

Highlights of the sale include two cream colored canvas and leather suitcases by Hermès from the mid-20th century, monogrammed "APW", estimated at about $2,200 - $3,000; two fine black cases by Dunhill and T. Anthony, the first of black leather in semi-circular form with one fitted tray and gunmetal hardware, the second of black fabric with leather strapping, lined in moire with various pockets and gilt hardware, est. at about $1,200 - $1,500; and a monogram hard-side case and cover by Louis Vuitton (above) with a beautiful patina to the the leather handle, est. at about $900 - $1,200.

Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs is said to have signed a contract to buy a $13 million townhouse (above) designed by starchitect Robert A.M. Stern in New York's West Village, the Real Estalker reports. The 4,5000-sq.-ft. townhouse, located on Bethune St., is part of the ambitious, ecologically-friendly Superior Ink development which has also attracted the likes of Hilary Swank. The townhouse features its own all-level elevator, wood-burning fireplaces, a designer garden and rooftop terrace.

The Superior Ink Condominiums and Townhouses are newly constructed structures located on the site of the former Superior Ink factory that was built in 1919. The high-priced complex's luxury amenities include a private screening room, an entertainment lounge, a fitness center with a Pilates/yoga room, a children's playroom, 24-hour valet parking, and 24-hour concierge and doorman services in the tower, pictured above at left. Buyers have a choice of luxurious custom finishes.

In a move that's sure to have the notoriously protective types at LVMH up in arms, a provocative New York-based artist has destroyed $12,000 worth of Louis Vuitton Alma handbags (above) for a new sculpture. Conceptual artist R. Lloyd Ming had an assistant purchase a dozen of the $1,000 bags at Louis Vuitton's Manhattan flagship over the holidays. He then cut them in half to make a sculpture for his new solo exhibit, "I Am Not Chinese." As the show's title suggests, the focus of the exhibit is China and what Ming calls the tenuous relationship between China and America, the artist's website notes. Ming's works addresses many controversial Chinese issues including censorship, capitalism under communist rule, trade imbalance and human rights.

"The work is called Vuitton Crucifix and it is a commentary on the new wealth and materialism that has been created in China," Ming says. "However it can also refer to America and many other societies. As a result of China's capitalist revolution the ranks of the rich and middle class are growing. However, capitalism often produces a culture of insecurity, were people can only find a sense of self worth or salvation through possessions and materialism. The Vuitton Crucifix sculpture is a reaction to this culture." Ming has previously used Dom Pérignon packaging in his sculptures, so he is no doubt already on LVMH's radar. He seems to be attempting to forestall any legal action by insisting that his assistant informed the Vuitton salespeople of his artistic intentions.

After twenty years in the North American market, Infiniti has become a mainstay of the luxury segment on this side of the Atlantic. But in Europe - home to some of the most established premium automakers in the world - Nissan's luxury division is just making its debut. The corporate strategists knew they'd have to make a big splash to make any sort of impact on the European market, so they teamed up with luxury label Louis Vuitton to create the stunning Essence concept.

Collaborations between automakers and fashion labels are nothing new - think Audi and Prada or Lamborghini and Versace - and we brought you news of this partnership before the show even opened. But we had no idea what a stunning show car it would yield. Easily among the most beautiful of the show-stoppers this year in Geneva, the Infiniti Essence features hybrid propulsion that yields nearly 600 horsepower, in a muscular yet elegant and futuristic shape that couldn't be missed. LV was brought in to craft a special set of fitted luggage for the concept, rekindling a century-old business for the French luxury label which we hope Infiniti will offer on its existing vehicles already in showrooms. View more in our photography gallery by clicking the thumbnail images below.

Pop group Danity Kane has settled their battle with Louis Vuitton. LVMH took issue with the use of Louis Vuitton trademarks used on the debut album and in related videos. The song "Show Stopper" includes the lyrics: "Bet you ain't never seen, Chicks ridin' this clean, Louis Vuitton seats, We do it deadly." As part of the settlement, P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records has agreed to remove all visual references to Louis Vuitton trademarks and make available amended versions of the album and video without the Louis Vuitton images.

LVMH is famously protective of their brand. . Louis Vuitton sued Britney Spears over use of a Vuitton-embroidered dashboard in a video and last December, legal action from both Gucci and LVMH prevented rapper T.I. from releasing his "Swing Ya Rag" video which highlighted both Gucci and Louis Vuitton products. Both brands are mentioned in the song's lyrics. Perhaps singers just need to stop singing about brand names for a while, certain luxury brands don't seem to enjoy the free publicity.

[via NY Mag]