High Priced Repetition

             Several high- priced brands use repetition in the majority of their designs, more specifically in handbags.  Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Dooney & Bourke are a few brands who use repetition as their main design.  Repetition is a valuable and widely used device for achieving visual unity (Lauer, Chapter 2).  Takashi Murakami, a designer who can be compared to Claes Oldenberg, on the basis of selling low art to cultures of higher standards.   Murakami’s work is used for Louis Vuitton handbags makes use of repetition.  In Killer Pink, 2002, Murakami uses many animated looking flowers with happy faces on them as his design.  Granted they are all bright and different colors, this repetition provides a counterpoint to the various colors.  Louis Vuitton has several different yet similar bags with different repetitive looks.  Some consist of these animated flowers, others consist of red cherries.  The majority of their bags are simply designed with their logo LV all over the place.  Perhaps their goal isn’t to achieve a look of unity for their bags, but more so that their customers want everyone to know that they can afford a Louis Vuitton so they may as well make it obvious that it is a Louis Vuitton.  Why not buy a Louis Vuitton handbag that isn’t so obvious?  

Images from http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/images/murakami.jpg,