Store Design: Louis Vuitton at Selfridges by Yayoi Kusama

Exquisitely unique and stylish – this is what I can say about the store design Louis Vuitton at Selfridges. This concept store was conceived, developed and implemented by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The resulting commercial design houses the collection of garments featuring the designer’s obsession on polka dot patterns. The store space reminds me of something that was created through knitting.

This store is located at Selfridges, London and Yayoi Kusama design a store that speaks more of personal connection – one that emphasizes the products being displayed. Kusama has a trademark of repeating spot patterns. Kusama, who is a painter, poet, performer and designer, has voluntarily lived within a psychiatric institution to win the battle against obsession at such a young age.

Nevertheless, her exquisitely unique designs became popular just the same. I admire this kind of mentality – a redirection from an obsession that was thought of to be “self-destructive.” Perhaps, this is also the reason why this design has evoked a sense of calmness in me – unlike the expected turmoil of the repeated patterns throughout.

Louis Vuitton sponsored the Tate exhibition of Yayoi Kusama earlier in the year and because of the latter’s obsession for repetitive patterns the brand has created a line of materials from bags to shoes that are clad in bright red, yellow and black dots.

This is definitely a design for retail that I would vouch for – though I’m not really fond of polka dots. It is just a beautiful store – even though the primary design is polka dots from the perforated giant lamps hanging over display tables to surfaces like floors, walls and display cabinets. I can’t say I feel anything less than warmth and a sense of belongingness – or perhaps the infinite symbolization of the circles, I can’t quite figure it out.

This amazing store just bedazzled me as if I was taken into a dimension akin to “Alice in Wonderland.” The collection is also an extension of Kusama’s ideas including the plastic trench coat that makes the user appear as though they are clad in spots.

In Selfridges, there are 24 display windows have been exclusively dedicated to Vuitton & Kusama Collection where visitors are instructed to follow the red polka dots located on the shop’s floors that will lead towards the actual shop design. There they will encounter the life-sized polka-dot clad model of Kusama.