Pharrell Williams made a historic debut with Louis Vuitton Tuesday night, as the first musician to helm the iconic fashion house, serving as the creative director of menswear.
The iconic producer’s spring and summer 2024 collection was presented over the Seine River with star-studded audiences straddling both sides of a Louis Vuitton checkered street. A-Listers like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Rihanna watched as a few familiar faces like Pusha-T modeled Pharrell’s vision for Louis Vuitton’s menswear to the soothing sounds of an orchestra and the infectious voices of a gospel choir.
Like his predecessor the late Virgil Abloh, Pharrell combined the high-fashion threads typical of Louis Vuitton with streetwear. Louis Vuitton checkerboard damier camo reminiscent of Bape, leather oversized polos, and trench coats bursting with color, looked ready-to-wear for a night out or a colorful day at the office. He even included a pajama set for those who want to look their best even when they’re sleeping.
Pharrell took up the mantle as creative director of Louis Vuitton after the unfortunate death of Virgil Abloh who was the first Black man to hold such a position at the fashion house. During his time as creative director, Abloh pushed the high-fashion brand into new spaces such as skateboarding and further cemented it as an iconic brand in other spaces, such as the rap and hip-hop world.
“I pinch myself every day,” Pharrell shared with the New York Times. “This is the equivalent of a castle to me.”
This isn’t Pharrell’s first stab at fashion. In 2005, he founded popular streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club with frequent collaborator and founder of Bape, Nigo. In 2004, he collaborated with Louis Vuitton to make a pair of sunglasses and later, in 2008, for a jewelry collection.
Pharrell has nothing to prove as a creative, but he has a lot to live up to in this new position. With his skin flawless as ever, he is leading Louis Vuitton into a new era of style and, hopefully, into new spaces. Don’t expect the prices to drop though.
Article by Enzo Luna