Pharrell Williams debuts at Louis Vuitton

When he was appointed to succeed the late Virgil Abloh, there was a debate about the merits of his appointment. Although not a formally trained fashion designer, and a 13-time Grammy Award winner, he has proven that he is the right person in the right place. Pharell Williams’ debut as creative director of the Louis Vuitton men’s segment it turned out to be something spectacular. The show took place at sunset near the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris. The French fashion house treated us to a full orchestra, a gospel choir and over 70 styles modeled by famous faces.

The show itself was also a huge media move for the brand. Williams’ famous friends cheered him on from the front row. They included Rihanna, the model of the brand’s latest campaign, Jared Leto, Lenny Kravitz and Jay-Z, who performed at the afterparty. Brand ambassador Zendaya also appeared with former stylist Law Roach by her side. Undoubtedly, however, Louis Vuitton under its new management has given us something extraordinary. The world will remember this for a long time, a the collection itself will be the beginning of a new era for the brand.

A place in line

It was not without reason that he was called a fashion icon in his industry. Pharrell Williams, while still a famous musician and producer, was associated with good taste when it came to choosing clothes. During his career, he collaborated with various fashion brands, including the one of which he would become the artistic director a few years later. In 2003 he had the opportunity to cooperate with Marc Jacobs, who was then at the helm of Louis Vuitton and Japanese designer Nigo. The result of their work were sunglasses with a characteristic frame shape and have become one of the brand’s best-selling products.

This was also followed by further collaborations, such as with Moncler and Moynat, and long-term partnerships with Adidas and Chanel, including a capsule collection with Chanel’s late creative director, Karl Lagerfeld. And yet, taking over as artistic director of… Louis Vuitton, this is a truly exciting moment for the world of fashion. Inspired by his unrivaled creativity and sensitivity to new trends, Pharrell must not only continue the vision that Virgil Abloh brought to the brand, but also bring his own freshness and originality. It seems that the new collection is a combination of these two components.

Pharell Williams’ debut – what did he present to the world?

As we mentioned, the Pont Neuf in Paris was transformed into the Vuitton catwalk. And so it itself contained a strip of the iconic Damier motif, which was heavily woven into the collection. It appeared on floor-length coats, fitted suits, structured suitcases and trunks, among others. It was also seen on a range of accessories, including hats, bags and baseball caps. Still, we had a chance to see it this season new motifs by Louis Vuitton. The catwalk featured embroidered patterns from the works of American artist Henry Taylor. And besides, the connecting logo the classic “LV” monogram with the word “lovers” arranged into a playful name for the words: “LVERS”.

Another element of the collection were decorated varsity jackets, full of characteristic details such as leather sleeves, subdued colors and patches. There were also iconic accessories. The models came out with several of the brand’s most recognizable bags – Speedy, which heralds a real metamorphosis of this iconic model. Speedy has always been a men’s canvas bag, until they made a smaller version for Audrey Hepburn in 1965,” Pharrell said after the show. “I wanted to take something that I felt would be unisex and just make a great bag for people. It’s an everyday icon made for every lifestyle.”

Sunglasses, which have become Pharrell Williams’ recognizable trademark, also played a key role. They were available in a variety of sizes and shapes. The show itself ended with the Voices of Fire gospel choir, and Williams himself composed two new songs for the runway show, including ” “Joy (Unspeakable)” sung by a Virginia choir that was released five days ago and also “Peace Be Still” with the participation of Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

Pharell Williams’ debut turned out to be an extraordinary combination of high-end fashion and good sound. Like his predecessor, Virgil Abloh, the singer has an extraordinary talent for anticipating cultural trends, redefining the zeitgeist and the ability to convey his ideas to a mass audience.