Kanye West has his sights firmly set on a position in the luxury goods market, which should come as no surprise considering how often he name-drops the big brands in the lyrics of his mega-selling hip-pop hits.

The US rap star, who it seems will be heading back to Australia early in 2008 to headline the Good Vibrations Festival, is teaming up with Japanese designer Takashi Murakami of Louis Vuitton for a new range of signature blinging jewelry. It won’t be the first time the two have worked together, with Murakami also designing the cover of West’s new album ‘Graduation’.

There’s no date on when the jewelry will be available, but reports indicate that the pieces will be in a ‘Manga-style’, with large necklaces bedazzled by rare coloured diamonds.