Pont Neuf in Paris hosts Pharrell Williams’ first fashion show for Louis Vuitton
It was boat access only to the musician’s first menswear show on Pont Neuf in the City of Light before Jay-Z kicked off the afterparty.
It was a question that had consumed the fashion world for more than a year. Who would fill the role as head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear division following the death of Virgil Abloh in late 2021?
Would the French fashion giant elevate a relative unknown, lure an established designer from a competitor or do something else entirely?
The answer came in February this year and it was firmly in the latter camp, when Pharrell Williams was named Louis Vuitton’s new men’s creative director.
For more than three decades, the rapper, singer, songwriter and producer has been known for his wildly successful musical contributions. But he is also deeply enmeshed in the fashion world, having worked with Chanel, Adidas and even Louis Vuitton, when he designed a range of sunglasses under Marc Jacobs back in 2004.
In 2016 he became co-owner of Dutch jeans brand G Star Raw. He was close to Karl Lagerfeld and Abloh himself, and is the co-founder of influential streetwear label Billionaire Boys Club with fellow polymath Nigo.
He also happens to be the owner of a face that, at 50, seems untouched by age. And this talent for defying time would come in handy, since his debut collection was due to show at Paris fashion week, just four months after his appointment.
So would he make a humble entrance and embrace the trend of so-called “quiet luxury”? Or would he go big and risk it all? The matter seemed to be settled by the time the invitation arrived. “Kindly note,” it informed guests, “that access to the show venue will only be accessible by boat.” It seemed subtlety was not on the cards.
It was still light out on a balmy Paris evening as 1500 guests made their way to the venue at the city’s famed Pont Neuf.
The challenge with so many grand launches is whether the spectacle will overshadow the clothes. But Williams managed to strike a balance: revisiting the brand’s historic motifs such as the Damier checked print and leaning heavily into bags and accessories while delivering it with a modern twist and diverse casting.
The runway culminated with a gospel choir performance, but in many ways the show had just begun. A DJ took to the stage before Jay-Z emerged, decked out in LV of course, to perform some of his greatest hits – with a little help from Pharrell himself.
This was much more than a terrific fashion show. It was history in the making.
