In Paris, Pharrell Williams unravels the LVers Menswear collection, an imitation of his eclecticism – the artist’s debut as creative director for Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton 24 Men’s Show. Pharrell William’s debut
Styled by Matthew Henson – a constant rule bender sparkling artist collaborations the sorts of ASAP Rocky and The Weekend – alongside Cynthia Lu, the mind behind streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market, and Pharrell William’s former assistant, garments became memorable. The effervescence of it all saw the show’s composition level with a real-time blockbuster, where music, characters, and fashion played each other in a chess game signed by Louis Vuitton.
Hold in Paris on Pont Neuf. LV 24 S/S
Unraveling under the Parisian sunset on the Pont Neuf near Louis Vuitton headquarters, the fashion spectacle was about status. Guests arrived by boat marking the atmosphere that became all the more exclusive. In the neighboring palaces, all lights were on, people spotting the historical event through window glimpses.
Despite the high expectations and hateful voices, Pharrell Williams delivered nothing less than his already present creative spirit, unfolding an emotional finale where he bowed to LVMH president Bernard Arnault, held his family close, and kneeled in front of his staff crew. It was the recognition of power standing in the hands of a collective rather than singular endeavors.
King versus Pupil, as the theme and logo marked jacket stated, a fashion leader was born where direction meets humility. Although criticism could be aimed at the colossal budget and design as a side dish, pointed in a visibly commercial direction, Pharrell Williams simply amplified the heritage Virgil Abloh left behind.
The new strategy according to Pietro Beccari for Louis Vuitton after Virgil Abloh
In a previous interview, Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari, openly explained that «After Virgil, I couldn’t choose a classical designer. It was important that we found someone having a broader spectrum than being a very fantastic designer, which is great for the industry and we have many of them. But for that particular place, at Louis Vuitton, after Virgil, I thought we needed something more, something that went beyond just pure design».
And it was precisely that something more that Mr. Williams delivered last night during the show. Sometimes a debut doesn’t have to be big or revolutionary, it has to be effective, easily decoded, and accessible to the audience. Coming of age at the helm of a fashion empire is no easy role, the creative jokingly explains «It’s like ‘Game of Thrones,’ House Vuitton. It’s just such a momentous occasion».
Themed Lovers, the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer Menswear 2024 show is about joy and power
The only thing powerful enough to overshine the pressure and expectations came to be love and joy. With Pharrell Williams’ appointment as creative director on last year’s Valentine’s Day, he only saw fit to assemble an ode to lovers of any sort.
«LV is for Louis Vuitton, but it’s also for lovers: lovers of the moment, lovers of detail, lovers of this time, and people who want to absolutely squeeze the best out of life, down to the last drop». Undoubtedly, romanticism is one of the best-selling points when in its most sincere form.
The newly appointed creative director had already drafted the concept in April at the Virginia festival that he organized and where the Louis Vuitton merch toyed with the motto dedicated to lovers. LVers logos were impregnated on jackets, ties, or luggage, not sparing any significant detail of the collection.
Pusha T and The Voice of Fire Virginia choir join forces for the track of the LV show
Music followed the same intricate feelings of joy and power, covering thug and romantic tunes with a radiant crescendo of styles. It should come as no surprise since Pharrell Williams couldn’t leave the tunes to chance. It was «One [track] that I’ve been working on for, like, ten years», he responds in an interview.
«I’m getting into it. I want you to see it. I want you to feel it». Even then, it came clear how a multifaceted artist aims to put together a feeling, to compose emotion and sensations that can rarely come from just the clothes. Chains ’n Whips by Pusha T anticipated The Voice of Fire Virginia choir, all while echoing an unshakable relationship with ambition.
«Uncle said, ” You must be sick. All you talk about is just gettin’ rich», the rap hit emerged, bridging the show with the intro scene – a conversation about the struggle of climbing the ladder. Then came redemption, with Joy (Unspeakable) blasting throughout the final moments. A message of hope, recognition, and devotion, it was Mr. Williams’s quest for staying grateful and grounded while remaining solely the second black creative to uphold such a position.
Louis Vuitton 24 Men’s S/S. All about the camouflage effect
It was the first time Louis Vuitton luggage trucks paraded the show carried by golf carts driven over the Parisian bridge. The inclusion of styles saw the versatility of the creative director’s silhouette dipped in eye-catching details. Hats were big and quirky, from French berets to oversized beanies and hemp explorer interpretations.
Pearls and glittering rhinestones brought back the two-thousands, while extraterrestrial-shaped sunglasses flared up the looks. Gigantic puffy slippers with a big foot vibe sparked the need for cozy evenings or pajama party escapes. The belts took a different attitude for each outfit, with their LV logo redesigned in playful fonts.
«I don’t want anything to be just for aesthetics. Everything has to have a real function», the creative explains. Turning back to decomposed assemblies, each piece is standalone which makes sense in the luxurious brand universe.
Pharrell Williams sticks to the brands identity for the 2024 menswear collection
Gambling with the house’s codes and aesthetic vocabulary, Pharrell Williams remained loyal to the taste of consumers, without adding evanescent frills. Uncomplicated and glamorous all the same, the menswear collection focused on a camouflage effect, where the checkerboard Damier print became a pixelated stamp.
«Every season it’s going to be a different colorway», and even though his debut collection focused on military hues and monochromatic mixes, we can already see Mr. Williams threw color to his designs, with show-stopping bags in red, yellow, or green. Omnipresent in the show, shorts took office assemblies by storm, just like denim and fur coats impregnated with the LV monogram. The Pont Neuf landscape was pixelated and printed on leather coats.
An ongoing art collaboration between Mr. Williams and painter Henry Taylor
For someone who doesn’t come from fashion, Pharrell Williams clearly has a charismatic instinct and a good hold of trends. He brought the French fashion empire to the future, relying on an ongoing direction toward virtualized effects for garments.
Not only a gamification of proportion with funny and cosplay-like silhouette but a well-established signature print that brings real and artificial worlds together. Art collaboration remains relevant for the brand that introduced and commercialized it. Many of the dark ensembles saw black and Afro – American miniature figures constellations, part of the collaboration Mr. Williams began with artist Henry Taylor.
Sitting front row, A-list celebrities for the Louis Vuitton show
Oversized Speedy bags made it to the front. The campaign featuring Rihanna had already given us a glimpse into the accessories approach, making it all the more clear how IT bags can conquer the world. «Bags are very important to me, they’re very important to the house», the designer recognizes. When reflecting on the brand image and ambassadors, he undoubtedly curated a community that welcomes divergent and authentic cultures, that focuses on success and timeless industry voices.
Some of the front rowers were Beyonce and Jay Z, Zendaya or Rihanna as expected, but Pharrell Williams expressed his need for a larger audience. He wants to pioneer black culture beyond entertainment, to work with black academics, black authors, black astrophysicists, or a Black Bass fishing champion.
Pharrell Williams paving the way for future emerging creative directors
As we recognize this to be solely the beginning of what a multidisciplinary artist and celebrity of color can bring to one of the biggest fashion brands, Pharrell Williams conveyed a recognizable style with enough hype to draw skyrocketing sales.
Design is becoming more and more the side hustle for creative directors becoming first-hand ambassadors and scenography directors that can hold an audience. Now a rockstar of fashion, Pharrell Williams has to overcome his debut opening ways for innovation and deeper layers of creation while cultivating tribes. Whether wearing a crown or an oversized hat, the creativity is only going up.
