Can fashion brands revitalise the monogram?
Once seen as a sign of privilege, they are being undermined by ubiquity.
His design - essentially a sequence of four individual motifs - was artfully arranged on the surface of the luggage the brand was known for, making it instantly identifiable.
Since then, the monogram has become a symbol of luxury: Fendi, Gucci, Céline and Chanel are just a few of the prestige brands that over the years have used their monograms to visually differentiate themselves - and be a siren of sorts to label-conscious shoppers. The interlocked Cs, inverted Gs and graphic Fs stacked together like squares: savvy shoppers can identify them at a glance.
"Monograms have become a cultural icon and a symbolic legacy rooted in these brands' history," says S.J. Hsu, chief creative officer of Ogilvy Fashion & Lifestyle, which specialises in branding fashion and lifestyle clients in China. "These brands reinforce their heritage through introducing contemporary interpretations to their monogram collections."
Few luxury labels have embarked on such a course as determinedly and in such a high profile way as Vuitton, which is just about to kick off perhaps its most ambitious monogram-related project yet.
The Icon and The Iconoclasts collaboration puts the Vuitton monogram back in the spotlight, this time under the auspices of some of the world's finest creative minds.
