Now, the Japanese artist pairs with Casetify. But, reportedly the merchandise is moving too quickly for most fans to score

You can’t stop the scraggly 63-year-old, Takashi Murakami. Still basking in the success of the re-issues of his collaboration with Louis Vuitton, Mr Murakami now pairs with the Hong Kong smartphone case maker Casetify for a range of products that are art-infused and, as with most of his collabs, collectible. Launched last Friday, most of the pieces are already sold out, even when they are not exactly what one might call cheap. One ‘DOB, And Then’ (white) iPhone case that sports the familar Mr DOB character—Mr Murakami’s first, often described as his alter ego—is asking for S$141. That, presumably, is affordable, considering that an LV Porte-Cartes Magnet alone (not an actual phone case) is S$540.

But perhaps most appealing for Murakami fans is the earbud case holder (for AirPodsPro 2). This come with a case, housed in the head of a full-body Mr DOB. A carabineer is provided so that you can hang it conspicuously anywhere you desire. When Labubu plushies are still popular and hanging on so many bags, this rather in-your-face Casetify earbud case is likely to be the most in demand in the entire range of more than 70 products, including charms for phones, wireless chargers, and even cabin bags. Talking about Labubu, a Mr DOB phone case dangler is available in blind box form. Whether all these items are still availability is unclear.

In 2002, following the LV collab, which saw the brand’s monogram reworked with the artist’s candy-coloured, sometimes gaudy motifs, Takashi Murakami quickly ascended the pop culture firmament. When he re-appropriated the monogram into his own work later, the boundaries between high art and popular culture was forever smudged, more so now with the colourful Casetify collection. Nothing says massive money-making opportunity more than to slap one’s art on consumer products.

Takahashi Murakami X Casetify: Mr DOB collection is available at the Casetify Studio, ION Orchard, and online. Photos: Casetify