Ever since Pharrell Williams was appointed as the next men’s Creative Director of Louis Vuitton back in February of this year, the fashion circuit has waited with bated breath for the highly anticipated first collection from the entrepreneur and musician - and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Williams, the late Virgil Abloh’s successor, ensured last night's show would remain a much-discussed event by inviting a cohort of his esteemed peers and industry titans. Unrestrained joy was the theme of the evening; a stream of A-list stars including Rihanna (the heavily pregnant entrepreneur was recently announced as the face of the fashion house's SS24 campaign), A$AP Rocky, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, Zendaya, Kim Kardashian and Kelly Rowland gathered at the iconic Pont Neuf - the oldest standing bridge in the French Capital - a stone’s throw away from the Louis Vuitton studio where the heralded creative has been developing the line, to witness the historic evening.
As golden hour approached, showgoers were brought to the location via service boats before being serenaded by a live orchestra and a performance by Virginia-based choir Voices of Fire as they awaited the immersive runway experience. The 50-year-old creative polymath sent a total of 71 looks down the runway comprising a re-imagination of the storied house's signature Damier print emblazoned across trench coats, denim and tailoring, while a pixelated take on classic camouflage print (Williams titled it ‘Damouflage’) made a welcome appearance saturating Parkas, knitwear, boots and suiting.
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Love provided the focal point of the line, cleverly workshopped as ‘LV-overs’ (a homage to Williams' birthplace of Virginia) and emblazoned across a textured bomber jacket worn by south London-reared musician Dave, in addition to runway appearances by former YSL creative director Stefano Pilati and Clipse.
Accessories were a cause for pause, as models clutched updated iterations of the ubiquitous Speedy bag rendered in hues so sumptuous, even the biggest of quiet luxury loyalists will be reconsidering their accessory rotation. At one point, the brand's signature monogrammed trunks were stacked high in the back of a buggy, and elsewhere Los Angeles native Henry Taylor’s works were embroidered onto suiting and accessories, too.
Williams’ penchant for emotive and awe-worthy jewellery materialised via pearly-laden necklaces, bejewelled LV belts, brooches, and pocket watches. A performance by Jay-Z and Williams reeling off their impressive catalogue of smash hits solidified the evening as one of the most memorable in fashion this year.
This isn’t Williams's first foray into fashion design, with a history in the industry spanning more than a decade. Williams previously collaborated with current Kenzo artistic director Nigo across Billionaire Boys Club and BAPE in the mid-2000s, essentially altering the streetwear genre with their boundary-breaking garments. Not to mention, the N.E.R.D. frontman joined forces with Louis Vuitton in 2008 to unveil a jewellery line and has collaborations with Chanel and Adidas under his belt.
