Two Of A Kind: Manga Checks

Style On The Dot

February 12

Louis Vuitton's menswear draws inspiration from comic characters, again, or so it appears

Checkered love: (left) Louis Vuitton Christopher MM backpack. Photo; Louis Vuitton and (right) Demon Slayer's Kamado Tanjiro. Illustration: Viz Media/Shueisha

Under Black creative directors, Louis Vuitton's menswear appears to draw considerable inspiration from what some recognisable comic characters wear. In 2021, Virgil Abloh was inspired by one of Batman's many nemeses—the Riddler and his flashy leotard. And now, his much-lauded successor Pharrell Williams is seemingly similarly influenced—by Japanese manga. In Japan, fans of Demon Slayer (aka Kimetsu no Yaiba) noted the uncanny chromatic similarities between one of the colour combinations of LV's Christopher MM backpacks, featuring Mr Williams's "playful" take on the brand's house check, now called Damier Pop and the chessboard check of the demon slayer Kamado Tanjiro's signature cloak. It is understandable why the parallel is drawn.

The swashbuckling protagonist wears a black and "sea-foam-green" (according to fan sites) haori (羽織)—a hip-length outerwear, traditionally worn over a kimono. The garment is patterned in what the Japanese calls ichimatsu (市松) or what we know as checkerboard. According to popular lore, the repeated squares (or rectangles) in alternating colours were named after the 18th century kabuki actor, Sanokawa Ichimatsu (佐野川市松) , whose trousers frequently sported such a pattern. Kamado Tanjiro's haori is distinguished by its ichimatsu in the unmistakable colour combination. The coal-burner-turned-demon-slayer pairs the outer with what could be a set of black gakuran (学ラン) or school uniform for boys (there are times, he wear a kimono under it). The ichimatsu—mostly unfastened—gives him a certain swagger, even coolness, when he fights, much like the leather trench coat that Thomas Anderson (aka Neo) of The Matrix wears.

Conversely, the Louis Vuitton Damier is not name after an artiste. According to LV, "The design of Louis Vuitton's Damier was the result of the creative spark that shined between Louis Vuitton and his son Georges Vuitton, who invented the canvas a year earlier in 1888", more than a century after Sanokawa Ichimatsu wore the ichimatsu on his trousers. The LV pattern was revived in 1998 and renamed Damier Ebène. And now, more than a quarter of a century later, it is given a "pop" makeover. Mr Williams has not commented on the reactions in Japan to his colour choices. And we cannot say for certain that he had Kamado Tanjiro in mind when he looked at colour swatches for the Christopher MM. But Mr Williams is known to love Japan and Japanese pop culture. In an interview with Vogue Japan, he said, "The perspective Japanese people have is very individual. Their way of putting attention to detail is just something that I admire. There are all different kinds of cultures and within those cultures there are individuals with really unique perspectives. I can't put my finger on it, but I know when I see it and when I feel it, it's real." Kamado Tanjiro's haori, too?

Louis Vuitton Christopher MM backpack, S$ 5,350.00, is currently not in stores yet