Pharrell Williams’ debut Louis Vuitton menswear collection sparks joy in Paris
Louis Vuitton is for the lovers! Pharrell Williams showed his debut collection as the new artistic director of Louis Vuitton in Paris on Tuesday. Succeeding the former artistic director of Louis Vuitton, American fashion designer, and entrepreneur Virgil Abloh, Williams’ Spring 2024 menswear collection can be described in one word: joyous. Though a menswear collection, Williams says in an interview with Vogue Magazine that he “designs for humans” and “There is something for everybody” in this collection.
The star-studded runway in Paris was lined with A-listers such as Beyonce, Rihanna and ASAP Rocky, Zendaya and former stylist Law Roach, Lebron James, Kim Kardashian and Naomi Campbell just to name a few. As anticipated, Pharrell’s debut runway was nothing short of flawless and perfectly married fashion and entertainment. A live gospel choir, “Voices of Fire” was present to accompany the 70 looks as models gallivanted down the sunshine inspired yellow and cream checkered runway. It felt like I had died and woken up in heaven. A-List celebs were present on the runway too. Italian fashion designer and former YSL creative director Stefano Pilati and American rapper Pusha T showcased the redesigned bags and LV logos on trench coats and sweaters alike.
This runway has been anticipated by fashion critics and fashion lovers everywhere and though many may say it didn’t have the same “wow” factor as Virgil’s past shows, many iconic facets of Louis Vuitton were reimagined by Williams and given a fresh look. Most notably, the LV monogram which was combined with the word lovers to make “LVERS”. According to show notes, “LVERS is a state of mind: warmth, wellbeing, and welcome-ness”. He also redesigned the “Speedy” bag which has been sported by celebs from Audrey Hepburn to Snoop Dog. In a press release after the show, Pharrell had this to say about the fresh look of the “Speedy” bag: “I wanted to take something I felt would be unisex and just make a great bag for humans”. The new iteration is made of calf leather instead of the traditional canvas material and comes in various sizes and new colorways.
Williams also reimagined the Louis Vuitton Damier. Damier is a French term for “checkerboard” and in terms of Louis Vuitton, it is the iconic checkerboard board pattern seen on Louis Vuitton’s first signature canvas bag. “Damoflage” is the marriage of the Damier pattern to camouflage, which show notes say is “ a reflection of two domains of style, paying tribute to friends in Paris”. The Damier was seen in primary colors on Tuesday, most notably a bright yellow and accompanied by other embellishments like pearls on bags, coats, pants- everything! The Damier was also seen in an “8-bit Atari pixel edition” by ET Artist.
Pharrell Williams is the first American record producer to lead one of the top fashion houses in the world. With no formal design training, Williams started in 2003, releasing a sunglasses collection with Marc Jacobs and Japanese fashion icon Nigo. In the early 2000s, Pharrell and Nigo started “Billionaire Boys Club”, a famous streetwear brand. He has since been a decorated fashion icon for over two decades. When asked what inspired Tuesday’s show, Williams said “Love and support”.
Though Williams still faces criticisms and comparisons from critics who compare him to his predecessor Virgil Abloh, this debut show set a new tone for Louis Vuitton. It married the worlds of fashion and entertainment and stripped Louis Vuitton back to its roots with a bit of Pharrell’s iconic flare.
Strike out,
Ali Tarnowsky
Strike Magazine Boca
