The global fashion magazine April 19, 2024
FASHION Luxury Creative takes luxury items and customizes them for clients with high-quality artwork. Lucire speaks with founder and artist Logan Loiselle about his work, his process, and his inspirations
From the March 2023 issue of Lucire KSA
We were intrigued the moment we saw Luxury Creative’s work. This is a company that adds unique touches to luxury products, taking items that are already cherished and treasured, and painting artwork on to them. Brands that Luxury Creative work with include Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Logan Loiselle, the founder of Luxury Creative and the artist behind much of its work, understands this world better than most, having been an authorized artist for Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton.
Loiselle hails from Dallas, Texas and was drawing early in life—and his work went commercial when he was still an infant. His dinosaur drawings that he did while in daycare wound up on the school’s merchandise. He was also inspired by his mother and her side of the family, which was artistic.
He continued with his art through his childhood, but never received any formal training. He says, ‘Since I was young I’ve always had a fascination with drawing or painting something life-like. I remember as a boy sitting on the living room floor, sketching my grandfather while he sat in his favourite chair smoking cigarettes. I would also draw characters from movies I watched. For example, one of the early Batman films where Arnold Schwarzenegger played Mr Freeze [Batman and Robin]—his suit was so complex—I remember getting frustrated that my drawing skills weren’t up to par. You can say I was hard on myself at nine years old. I didn’t start to appreciate other styles of art, like impressionism, until I became a teenager.’
By the time he was in his 20s, he learned tattooing. In 2016, he headed to Los Angeles, and through a friend, wound up working with Dolce & Gabbana. The label had a promotion where an artist would customize an item for a client, and facing a backlog, Loiselle found himself helping out D&G’s in-house artist.
Following that, Loiselle accepted an offer to be Dolce & Gabbana’s artist at a pop-up event at Cæsar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Clients would choose from a range of designs and Loiselle would paint them on, customizing them with a name or quotation.
By chance, he bought something at Louis Vuitton and left his card, to see if they might have any work. Within days, they called him, asking if he would be their regional artist in Las Vegas, based in the Aria resort and casino, and take on nearby states. For the next two years, Loiselle was Louis Vuitton’s artist.
There were, of course, limits to what he could do. ‘When working with a major fashion brand there are certain designs that may be inappropriate or aren’t in alignment with what a brand wants to represent. And I completely understood that. Being the in-house painter, I lost count how many times a client would ask “Can you paint me like Rose on the Titanic?” [Laughs.] As flattering as it was, I had to decline.’
He adds, ‘Big brands like LV want to avoid any copyrighted material, such as Disney characters, sports team logos, inappropriate images, etc. There are some images that ride the line and are considered public domain, which I was able to paint, like Mona Lisa or Marilyn Monroe, but it was up to the discretion of the store director to approve. Most of the time, clients understood what they could and couldn’t do.’
Eventually, Loiselle wanted more than to be the in-house artist for Louis Vuitton. ‘For one, I wanted more for myself. As prestigious as it is to be an in house painter for LV, it was a limited position. The first year-and-a-half with the brand was the most fun I’d ever had, meeting people from all over the world, travelling to different flagship stores across the country, all the conversations. Ninety-five per cent of people that would come into the store would be blown away by what I was doing. But I realized that there wasn’t any way to go up from there. And that’s why I decided to branch off and start my own company.
‘Another reason is, I initially took the position to be the artist in Las Vegas not realizing how lonely of a place it was when all my friends and family were back in Los Angeles. All I did was work; I don’t drink or gamble so I had a lot of time to myself.
‘There are things I miss about working with LV. The staff and the corporate side of the brand were always so nice, respectful and pleasant to be around. We shared some cool experiences together and I cherish it.’
His canvases range from handbags and luggage to jackets and designer shoes, as well as passport holders, tote bags, and more. On them are images that include animal prints, florals, symbols, creatures—even fighter jets, cityscapes, jewellery, vehicles, not to mention an astronaut, and boxer Muhammad Ali.
It’s not just images that Loiselle can do well: he’s mastered lettering, too—often the item that can spoil an otherwise perfectly executed artwork. It was a skill he picked up about a decade ago: ‘I know it’s cliché but practice makes perfect. Lettering is tricky and honest; if the measurements aren’t right, the eye will pick it up.’
The process is far from simple, especially as Loiselle’s work is meant to last on the client’s item. What customers might not see is the meticulous preparation that goes into each work to ensure that. ‘With designer handbags, wherever I am applying a design, I take the factory finish off first with acetone; that does not damage the bag or look. Most traditional Louis Vuitton bags are coated canvas. I then apply layers of gesso, which acts as a ground and tooth for the paint. A trick is the first layer to be super-thin, almost smearing it into the area. Once priming is done, I apply several layers of paint as my base, then I work from there. Finally I use a waterproof, scratch-resistant varnish to seal it.’
continued below
To get into his creative zone, Loiselle can get inspired by the master artists. ‘There are days I will put on a Salvador Dalí documentary or Picasso and listen while I paint. I’m also inspired by the emotional reaction of my clients and followers when they see the finished work. In the mornings, once I’ve had my coffee and croissant, I’m locked in, ready to paint.’
Looking through his catalogue, pet commissions have proved popular for Loiselle. ‘Most people won’t regret having their dog or cat painted. One of my clients who has become a good friend has built an impressive collection of Louis Vuitton bags where I’ve painted her Abyssinian cats on.’
Not everything is as cute as a loved pet. ‘One extreme I can think of would be John the Baptist head on a plate, on an exotic Birkin. I wish I could talk about the one I’m working on right now, but it’s only for private viewing at the moment. I will say it’s an XL Birkin and my greatest piece yet.’
At the time of the interview, Loiselle was working on an exhibition of his art in Los Angeles, showcasing a collection of bags and canvas work. The multi-talented artist is also working in the digital medium, with NFTs created on an Ipad using a program called Procreate. ‘[It] allows you to make art digitally, and then once complete you go through the steps to make it an NFT,’ he explains.
There’s no surprise that he has attracted celebrity clients. ‘[Rapper, singer and musician] Post Malone is someone I tend to bring up because he’s such a down-to-earth cool guy. We are both from Dallas and share interests in our hometown sports teams. I painted a trunk for him of the Dallas Cowboys’ trophies. [Rapper] Quavo from Migos is another name. All of my interactions with him were always fun; I painted an LV horizon for him.
‘I’ve never personally met these celebrities but I also painted bags for Paris Hilton, Alicia Keys, and Lizzo, to name a few. And I’m currently working on a design for Sir Elton John.’
With such high demand from famous names, as well as clients who value their privacy, Loiselle has hired a number of qualified artists in the Los Angeles area to complete the smaller customizations, such as paw prints or initials. However, he makes sure he speaks with every potential client and answers all their questions.
He envisages Luxury Creative going global, but recognizes that it can be ‘nerve-wracking and expensive’ for an overseas client to send a valuable item to Los Angeles to be completed. The quality of Luxury Creative’s work, however, might persuade that client that it is worth the effort. •
Related articles hand-picked by our editors
Saben collaborates with artist Fleur Woods for limited-edition collection
The luxury accessories’ label collaborates with one of founder Roanne Jacobson’s favourites, embroidery artist Fleur Woods
Face to face, with Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs
Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs have been brought together under one roof at Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Lola Saab takes in the latest exhibition
Sekrè to launch limited-edition luxury handbag commemorating Grace Kelly’s 90th
In the secret compartment of Sekrè’s latest creation is a sample of HSH Princess Grace of Monaco’s handwriting
