Inside Pharrell Williams' Louis Vuitton Show

City of Lights hosted Louis Vuitton's menswear wing of Paris Men's Fashion Week, one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year. The debut collection of Pharrell Williams, the 13-time Grammy-winning musician appointed creative director of the French fashion house in February, was also his first runway show. The show was held on Pont Neuf at sunset with a full orchestra and gospel choir. Pharrell was supported from the front row by the brand's campaign face Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Jay-Z who performed at the afterparty, Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Jared Leto, Lenny Kravitz and Naomi Campbell, as well as brand ambassador Zendaya and former stylist Law Roach.

Following the untimely death of Virgil Abloh, founder of the Off-White brand and the first African-American to serve as creative director at Louis Vuitton, announced in November 2021, the validity of Williams' appointment sparked some controversy. On the other hand, although Williams was not a formally trained fashion designer, it was clear that he had been shaping music, culture and, of course, fashion for more than two decades. Besides, Louis Vuitton's menswear wing of Paris Men's Fashion Week is not Williams' first design endeavour. Williams has previously collaborated with Marc Jacobs and Japanese designer Nigo on sunglasses that have become one of the brand's best sellers. Also, Williams' other collaborations include Moncler, Moynat, Adidas and a capsule collection with Chanel's late creative director Karl Lagerfeld.

The show, which transformed Pont Neuf into a Vuitton catwalk for one night, featured a continuous strip of the iconic "Damier" motif that dominates the collection. Taking the brand's signature checkerboard design, the Damier, which dates back to 1889, as ground zero, Williams used the pattern on workwear-inspired garments, long coats, collarless tapestry jackets, structured bags, matching suits, denim and knitwear interiors, turning the pattern into pixelated camouflage. This pattern, which Williams called “Damoflage'', was also a way for the artist to emphasize his "genuine". 

The Speedy, one of the brand's most recognizable bags, worn by celebrities from Audrey Hepburn to Snoop Dogg, is now available in vibrant new colours, including cherry red, sunshine yellow and rich green, a nod to the fake bags sold on New York's Canal Street. The new bags are made from calfskin leather instead of the traditional canvas and are now available in a much more extensive selection of sizes. Large bags were reminiscent of the brand's Alma and Keepall silhouettes and were hung low to the ground. In contrast, smaller bags with chain and pearl detailing and nylon strap camera bags were worn with fur hats and rolled blankets tucked under the arm or draped over the shoulders.

Other accessories that were among the products of Williams' creative genius included hats galore. The Damier pattern also found a place in accessories with crystals and pearl embellishments, from beanies to beanies with structured leather logos and floppy newsboy hats. The sunglasses, considered a must-have for Williams' iconic style, stood out with square camouflage and small circular frames reminiscent of camera lenses. The sunglasses were also available in various sizes and shapes, including oval lenses embellished with pearls.

Ultimately, the entire collection was open to being considered as an explicit counter and even denying the "quiet luxury" movement, which rejects logos and overtly expensive pieces in favour of modest but still often costly garments.