Marc Jacobs is a big fan of Stephen Sprouse. Their first collaboration for Louis Vuitton in 2001 was a sold-out collection and is still highly sought-after until today. Sadly, Sprouse’s untimely death in 2004 made it their first and the last collaboration. In 2006, Marc Jacobs paid a tribute to the artist by incorporating Sprouse’s 1987 leopard print into his Fall 2006 collection for Louis Vuitton. The collection was once again sold-out and same as the 2001 pieces, the second-hand items are available on ebay with crazy mark-ups now.

Marc Jacobs is paying another tribute in his Spring 2009 collection. If you missed the first two rounds, rush to the nearest Vuitton shop and put your name down as soon as you see this entry. For Spring 2009, the colors of the Graffiti print against the classic Monogram Canvas background are all neon (lime green, shocking pink and bright orange) and there is also Rose-tattoo collection inspired by Sprouse’s past work. The collection also expands beyond bags and shoes to include scarves, jewelries, shades, small leather goods and ready-to-wear. There is no price information available yet but if you are one of the VIP customers, I am sure you could get a good estimation from the SA. My guess is a Speedy 30 will cost around twice the standard one, which is normally the case with the limited edition.

Image is courtesy of welovesprouse.com