Tokyo has seen all manner of fictional creatures wreck havoc. But what “The Monsters” imagined by Kasing Lung are most likely to cause is a queue of fans outside Dover Street Market Ginza, where the latest collaboration between the artist and Moynat will be dropping on June 10.
This installment, which launches in tandem with the Japanese leg of the series’ 10th anniversary exhibition tour, plays on the French brand’s monogram canvas in black and silver, overlaid with artworks featuring Labubu, Zimomo, King Mon and graffiti-style lettering.
In the 13-strong lineup available exclusively at Dover Street Market Ginza are limited-edition bag charms shaped like the retailer’s house logo, tote bags and hobo styles, plus a Little Suitcase design and the Mignon bag decked in an allover print.
There are also a pair of exceptional pieces introduced especially for Tokyo: a full-sized travel trunk and a leather minaudière shaped like Labubu’s head, with colorful details on the ears, nose and eyes.
Appearing in the campaign accompanying this launch and once again lensed by Chinese photographer Theo Liu is Japanese girl group F5ve, composed of five members known mononymously as Kaede, Ruri, Miyuu, Sayaka and Rui.
Moynat announced its collaboration with Lung last September with a campaign featuring Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung. A first drop came in Shanghai in October, tied to the kickoff of the anniversary exhibition tour, which drew the attention of local and global visitors, including Apple’s chief executive officer Tim Cook.
A launch event for the collaboration during Art Basel Paris saw Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, stop by.
Japanese girl group F5ve in the campaign for the Moynat x Kasing Lung range at Dover Street Market Ginza.
Theo Liu/Courtesy on Moynat
A second drop in January was supported by an all-star American cast of Brooke Shields, Angela Bassett, Fran Drescher, Lucy Liu and Martha Stewart, as well as Grace Burns, Jordan Clarkson and Selah.
When the exhibition reached Paris, another drop saw a quartet of famous French faces — Farida Khelfa, Sarah Andelman, actress Audrey Tautou of “Amélie Poulain” fame and model Noémie Lenoir — strike a pose for Liu.
Lung created The Monsters universe and its dozen of denizens in 2015. How2work, a Hong Kong-based design production house the artist had been working with since 2011, manufactures most of the plastic renditions of the characters.
In 2019, he signed a licensing agreement with China‘s Pop Mart and the mischievous-looking Labubus became furry plush dolls and blind box collections. In addition to Moynat bags and accessories, she has since appeared on T-shirts at Uniqlo and on modular furniture with Switzerland-based modular furniture-maker USM.
In September, the artist told WWD he was working on his next picture book with Labubu as the main character, slated for release this year. In March, Sony Pictures revealed that a film coproduced with Pop Mart was in development, with Lung as executive producer.
A selection from the range available at Dover Street Market Ginza.
Courtesy on Moynat
