Published
Tue, Oct 11, 2022, 21:20
- "We know David would have refused this association if he was still alive," a representative told RA.
A spokesperson for the estate of David Mancuso has formally criticised Louis Vuitton on its recent collection that draws inspiration from the late New York artist.
Speaking to Resident Advisor, the spokesperson said the French luxury brand didn't consult with anyone on Fall In Love, a pre-spring 2023 line that was marketed as an ode to Mancuso's iconic Loft party series that turned 52 this year.
"David's name, property and intellectual property are protected by the family/estate's ownership, represented by David's nephew, Richard 'Ricky' Horstman II," the spokesperson explained. "David had selected and appointed Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy, Donna Weiss and Elyse Stefanishin to make these decisions in his absence. Neither party was consulted by LVMH/Louis Vuitton and we are not pleased with the way they dealt with this to date."
"We do not approve of the way they have used David and The Loft's name, reputation and pioneering life's work to market their collection and brand," the spokesperson continued. "We know David would have refused this association if he was still alive."
This statement comes a few days after author Tim Lawrence published a detailed essay that outlined several examples of how Louis Vuitton inaccurately interpreted Mancuso's principles. The spokesperson said the estate "mostly" agreed with Lawrence's essay, adding how Louis Vuitton made "numerous factual errors" regarding information about David and The Loft "in attempts to align themselves and the collection with his life's work."
The luxury brand hasn't yet responded to RA's request for comment. For more details on the matter, read Lawrence's full essay.