UNIQLO x The Louvre Spell Out Art Collection’s History In Bold Typographic Tees
Soon, you can put down in words—and wear them out—how much art and culture mean to you. Continuing their years-long collaboration from 2021, UNIQLO and the Louvre have found new ways to breathe life into historical writings seen in the museum’s collection.
Launching May 8, The Writings of the Louvre UT series channels script from works in all nine departments at the Louvre that span the third millennium BC and the 19th century, “from the first written documents in the history of humankind to the signature of Nicolas Poussin.”
The refreshing typographical treatment of precious Louvre relics comes from art and design duo M/M (Paris). Founded by Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak, the studio is known to combine the capabilities of graphic design, visual arts, fashion, photography, music, and theater.
The contemporary designs in The Writings of the Louvre encourage the public to “rethink the past through a mix of art, fashion, and graphic design,” says a press release from the institution.
The resulting collages capture the museum as a library of endless stories. Each piece is also stamped with a unique Louvre wordmark consisting of geometric fragments that M/M has dissected from the galleries.
The four-piece series also features M/M’s recurring character, ‘The Agent’, an ambiguous icon who “plugs in, learns, advances and changes, acquiring meaning and memory with each new appearance.” In its Louvre incarnation, the character dons a mirrored image of the Mona Lisa, portraying the view of the visitor when they’re near or are seated on top of IM Pei’s iconic pyramid.
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“We are very excited about this collection, which gives museum visitors the opportunity to think beyond the obvious representation of the past, and proposes a blend of art, design, and fashion in a way that transcends space, time, and culture,” explains the design duo.
Beyond T-shirts, the UNIQLO x Louvre rollout will include artsy merchandise informed by the Grand Palais, including snow globes, tote bags, stationery, mugs, candles, and micro-puzzles.
[via The Louvre and UNIQLO, images via various sources]
