Spots will be sprouting across the globe this summer as Louis Vuitton rolls out seven pop-up shops to mark its capsule collection with Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama

The first shop is set to open inside the Louis Vuitton boutique in New York on July 10.

The next shops will then spring up in Asia, at Pacific Place in Hong Kong, Ngee Ann City in Singapore, and Isetan’s Shinjuku branch in Tokyo.

Following those launches, Tokyo, the city Kusama calls home, will get a second location in Dover Street Market in Ginza. Then the two largest Kusama concept stores will open at two department stores: an 860-square-feet shop in Printemps in Paris on August 23; and a 1,375-square-feet boutique in Selfridges in London on August 24.

The pop-up outlets will be open for one to two months, offering a range of spotted trench coats, handbags, and other accessories created with the artist for Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton has also recently partnered with three other artists — Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, and Richard Prince - though not on the same scale as with Yayoi Kusama. Marc Jacobs, it seems, has taken a special liking to Yayoi's work. 

Japanese artist Takashi Murakamii has been commissioned by Google to produce the latest in its series of Google doodles.

The multicoloured cartoon, titled The First Day of Summer, entwines flowery bursts around gaping mouthed heads characteristic of the Japanese anime style.

The doodle represents the date of the summer solstice, much loved by druids, but the doodle's title is somewhat misleading – the solstice is the longest day in summer, rather than the first, although it may give new hope to those deluged in recent days and those heading to the Glastonbury festival this weekend.

Murakami's work is usually known for its appropriation of high art forms such as sculpture, which he then melds with low art themes from pop culture to mass media. He has produced a variety of contemporary work from 30ft sculptures to his so-called superflat paintings, in which he combines flat graphic imagery and colours to create highly patterned images.

Murakami has also carried out more commercial endeavours including a close collaboration with fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and in 2008 was included in Time magazine's 100 most influential people.

So far this month, the Google doodle has commemorated Russia day, the 92nd birthday of Richard Scarry, author of the Busytown series of children's books, and the total lunar eclipse.

The summer solstice, which falls on 21 June each year, occurs when the Earth's axial tilt is most inclined towards the sun, creating the longest day in the northern hemisphere.

Also known as Midsummer, the solstice has long held spiritual significance for many, some of whom are drawn to sites such as the stone circle at Stonehenge to celebrate. Li, the Chinese goddess of light, also has a festival on the solstice.

• Jo Adetunji
• guardian.co.uk,