Artist Spotlight: Kim Jones

Artist Spotlight is a fashion-focused segment that takes a deep dive into the unique backstories and their creative processes. Highlighting the fashion industry's hidden gems and innovative talents. 

For the 27th segment in this series, we are highlighting Kim Jones, an artistic director and the man who revolutionized Louis Vuitton menswear offering streetwear aesthetics with a luxury twist.

Kim Jones began his career while studying graphic design at Camberwell College of Arts, where he enrolled in the well-known Central Saint Martins MA Fashion course. As a student, Jones made graphic t-shirts for the Soho store The Pineal Eye, which caught the attention of influential passers. 

Jones became immersed in the world of streetwear and subculture while working for Michael Kopelman at Gimmie 5. He soon created his own namesake label which earned him a cult following and allowed him to work for some of fashion’s most prestigious brands. 

In 2011 the chairman and CEO of LVMH hired Jones to oversee the menswear division at Louis Vuitton, where he launched the niche streetwear brand. His collaboration with Louis Vuitton with Supreme brings subculture-inspired sneakers, rooted in a subculture Kim has long collected, into the luxury game. 

The jewel in the LVMH crown was retaken by Kim in 2018 when Dior and its couture ateliers came calling. The rest is history. Since Kim took over the venture in 2011, he has invited visionary artists like Amoako Boafo, Daniel Arsham, Kenny Scharf, and Peter Doig into the fold, resulting in a collection that shows he's always had his finger on the pulse.