In 2002, Murakami began his collaboration with Louis Vuitton, under the direction of then creative director Marc Jacobs. The first series of bags, released in 2003, featured LV’s traditional monogram, re-interpreted by Murakami in 33 vibrant colors. The collaboration continued until 2015 and released a variety of prints throughout its 13-year lifespan. Some of the most memorable prints include the “Monogramouflage,” an all-black version of the monogram set over a camouflage background, and the “Cherry Blossom,” which highlights bright pink, animated flowers amongst the brown monogram. In addition to the individual products, the collaboration also consisted of other projects, such as pop-up stores and short films. Murakami’s work with Louis Vuitton signifies his unbashful mix of art and commercialism—while several of the items were limited edition, many of them were mass-produced and available in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.

Following a visit to Murakami’s art gallery in Tokyo, Kanye West sought to collaborate with Murakami, hoping to appoint him as the art director for Graduation, his third studio album. Murakami agreed, and one of the most iconic hip-hop/art collaborations was born. Kanye’s trademark bear, recreated in Murakami’s unique style, served as the foundation for the project. From there, Murakami’s vision for the project, an anthropomorphic adaptation of Kanye’s universe, fueled the album art and “Good Morning” music video. In addtion, Murakami designed the merchandise for West’s 2008 Glow in the Dark tour, which features his version of the bear donning the now-iconic shutter shades.

Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment Design and Murakami worked together on a capsule collection to commemorate the opening of the Hi & Lo exhibition in 2008. Displayed at Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki Gallery in Tokyo, the exhibition marked the first time that Fujiwara’s personal collection was exposed to the public. In addition to Murakami’s work, the exhibition contained pieces by Andy Warhol, Gerard Richter, Futura, and Damien Hirst, among others. The exhibition also included collaborations between Fujiwara, Murakami, and a host of other brands, such as Head Porter, Visvim, Levi’s Fenome, and Kangol. Each piece features heavy branding from both Fujiwara and Murakami in the form of Fragment’s iconic lightning bolt and Murakami’s signature “flower” motif. Some pieces take the branding to an extreme, such as an iteration of the Visvim Kiefer covered in a bright, suede flower print.

The heavyweight champion of collaboration, Supreme added Murakami to their roster in 2007. The artist crafted a trio of skate decks, each featuring a graphic of a dog above a medley of multi-colored eyes, as well as the Japanese character meaning “dog” in bold lettering at the top. The graphic explores the intersection of American and Japanese pop culture by infusing Murakami’s artwork with a symbol of contemporary western youth. Alongside Murakami’s work, Supreme also presented three decks designed by his protégé Mr. Mr.’s decks displayed similar themes to his mentor, however were far more risqué, depicting explicit highly sexualized imagery. Mr.’s style is a clear offshoot of Murakami’s, and consists of many similar motifs (anime, manga, etc.), so it is fitting that Supreme would reach out to both artists for this collaboration.

One of his most recent collaborations, in 2015 Murakami released a capsule collection with Vault by Vans. The collection contained a wide range of products, from footwear to apparel and even skateboards, all emblazoned with his characteristic emblems—flowers and skulls. In addition to unisex adult products, the project included footwear for children, an addition rarely seen among high-profile collaborations. This detail reflects Murakami’s continued commercialization of “high art,” meant to deteriorate the perception of art as pretentious and inaccessible to the masses. Even though the collaboration was billed as “limited edition,” the sheer diversity of products ensured that anyone could snag a thing or two.