LV DIY

LV DIY is an installation by Alfred Steiner. It is a commentary on conspicuous consumption, luxury branding, and intellectual property rights. Visually inspired by the Louis Vuitton SoHo NY store, Steiner recreated their branding, but with low-end materials – cardboard instead of blond wood, duct tape instead of brass inlays. The merchandise (shirts, purses, sunglasses, etc.) featured the artist’s own intentionally sloppy version of the iconic LV monogram. The artist’s intention was to point out the contradictions and grievances of Louis Vuitton, which is described by Forbes as the most valuable luxury brand in the world. For example, while capitalizing on the creative acclaim of artist collaborations, they have a history of abusing their intellectual property rights to silence opposing, or merely unauthorized, interpretations. Further, although not alone in doing so, the brand destroys unsold merchandise at the end of each season to control their brand. The installation received prime placement at the fair and was named by Artnet as the #1 installation to see at the fair.

The installation was exhibited from March 1–7, 2016 at SPRING/BREAK Art Show during Armory Week.

Installation Images and Details