If you want one of the LV limited edition bags designed by Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garcons handbags), founder of Comme des Garçons, you'll have to hop a flight to Tokyo.

Through December 2008, LVMH (Louis Vuitton handbags) has a temporary shop set up within the Comme des Garçons store on Kottodori, Omotesando. And it is only there that shoppers can place an order for one of six designs. No phone or Internet orders are being taken. And there will be no buying in bulk: The shop is selling just one bag per person. What's more, only when the shop closes will the orders be put into production; when finished, the bags will then be sent to the client's Louis Vuitton shop of choice.

All of the six designs of Comme des Garcons x Louis Vuitton collaboration use the classic LV logo print on brown canvas. All of them are monogram because all of the bags were monogram at the time.

Two of the bags — the Petit Marceau and the Sac 2 Poches — are renditions of designs from the 1970s that would have been in the Tokyo Louis Vuitton store when it opened. Two other bags are takeoffs on classic designs: Rei Kawakubo added a spray of multiple handles to the Mini HL and animal charms to the Papillon. Lastly, the designer created two new bags for evening; with their long handles, they can hang from the shoulder without getting in the way of a cocktail glass.

An exclusive collection of six Comme des Garcons x Louis Vuitton bags:

Comme des Garcons x Louis Vuitton party bags, small evening purses with oversized leather handles

The store is designed by Rei Kawakubo and run by Louis Vuitton. 

Designer of Comme des Garcons, Kawakubo Rei:

Kawakubo Rei (1942~ ) is the designer behind the Comme des Garcons label. Kawakubo studied philosophy at the prestigious Keio University in her native Tokyo. She founded her company in 1973 and presented her first show in Paris in 1981.

Comme des Garçons specialises in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments. The collection was primarily dubbed 'Hiroshima chic' for its use of dark colors, in particular black, which was not popular at the time. Later Rei started to use brighter colors as she said "Black is no longer strong and has become harder to use." Challenging the established notions of beauty she created an uproar at her debut Paris fashion show where journalists labeled her clothes 'Hiroshima chic' amongst other things. Rather than just focusing on clothes and accessories, Kawakubo Rei is greatly involved in graphic design, advertising and shop interiors believing that all these things are a part of one vision and are inextricably linked. Her Aoyama, Tokyo store is known for its sloping glass facade decorated with little blue dots. This was designed in collaboration between Rei and a Japanese architect. Rei published her own bi-annual magazine, 'Six' (standing for 'sixth sense'), in the early 1990s. It featured very little text and consisted mainly for photographs and images that she deemed inspiring. In 1996 Rei was guest editor of the high art publication Visionaire.

Visionaire Rei Kawakubo

Kawakubo won the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prize in 1983 and was honored by the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1987 as one of the leading women in 20th-century design. Her academic background is perhaps behind her rather cerebral approach to design and she has worked with dance groups and wide range of photographers.

Kawakubo is a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Pret-a-Porter.

Rei is known to be quite reclusive and media shy, preferring her innovative creations to speak for themselves.

A protoge of Kawakubo, Watanabe Junya has also established a name for himself since going it alone in 1994. Her designs have inspired many other late designers like the Belgian Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang.

Comme des Garçons have collaborated with various other labels over the years including Levi's, Speedo, Nike, Moncler, Lacoste, Cutler and Gross, Chrome Hearts, S. N. S. Herning, Hammerthor, Louis Vuitton and many others. Comme des Garçons and H&M are currently collaborating on "guest designer" collection which was released in the fall of 2008. 

Source: Nysun, Wikipedia