WWD confirms the comeback of the Stephen Sprouse’s Graffiti Collection along with another Sprouse creation, the Rose as Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton pays homage to Sprouse who passed away last 2004.The Graffiti collection was first introduced in 2001 and was sold like hotcakes, many have missed out on it and now that they’re back, it’s worth rejoicing. In this new collection, Marc “Jacobs took two iconic Sprouse motifs — the graffiti and the rose — and interpreted them in Day-Glo shades of pink, green and orange over the Monogram print. The motifs are featured on Vuitton’s Keepall, Speedy and Neverfull bag styles, as well as basketball sneaker boots, pumps, sunglasses, headbands and wristbands, and small leather goods like wallets and coin purses. The rtw includes a mackintosh raincoat with a graffiti and monogram lining, graffiti leggings and a long-sleeve neon minidress featuring the rose design.” Marc Jacobs states that the collection will not be called reissues as he had done things that are similar or new which differs the “new collection” from Stephen’s Graffiti from 2001.

“I tried to take what Stephen had done at Vuitton and then kind of flip it in my head, and make it Vuitton’s work for Stephen, not Stephen’s work for Vuitton,” Jacobs said. “I just felt it was a funny way to play with it, to pretend to be Sprouse for a bit, and use the work that he did, and then bring it back to the work that he did before I collaborated with him.” – Marc Jacobs

Left: Rose Long-sleeve Minidress, Bracelet, Pumps. Right: Graffiti Headband, Sunglasses, Mackintosh Raincoat, Speedy, Leggings, Pumps.
Monogram Rose Neverfull, Louis Vuitton

Monogram Graffiti Keepall, Louis Vuitton

Rose Ballerina, Louis Vuitton
Monogram Graffiti Sneaker Boots, Louis Vuitton

Graffiti Sling-back Pump, Louis Vuitton

Rose Pump, Louis Vuitton

Graffiti Bracelet, Louis Vuitton

Graffiti Scarf, Louis Vuitton

Monogram Rose Speedy, Louis Vuitton

Graffiti Bag Charm, Louis Vuitton

The new Graffiti and Rose collection will coincide with the Stephen Sprouse retrospective called “Rock on Mars” at Deitch Projects’ 18 Wooster Street gallery from Jan. 8 to Feb. 28, and “The Stephen Sprouse Book,” by Roger Padilha and Mauricio Padilha, due out from Rizzoli New York on February 1.

“For me, this monogram graffiti was the first milestone of our permanent reinvention of our history. The thing that excited us the most is that somebody who disappeared years ago is going to be the center of life worldwide thanks to that for the next few months, we really want to celebrate a friend.” – Yves Carcelle, CEO Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton’s new Graffiti and Rose Collection will be available in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide on January 9, 2009. Marc Jacobs will also appear in Harper’s Bazaar January 2009 issue shot by Terry Richardson wearing nothing but Grafitti and the bags from the new collection. Be sure to check it out.