Pharrell Took Over Paris for Louis Vuitton’s SS24 Menswear
- Yaseen Dockrat
As the sun began to set on Paris last night, anticipation reached a fever pitch for Pharrell Williams’ debut show as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. Taking over after the untimely passing of the late Virgil Abloh, Williams had big shoes to fill. With seemingly every major star on the planet descending on the Ponte-Neuf, and the dusk turning to dark, lights filled the famous bridge, covered in a giant gold Damier pattern, as guests took their seats – we were finally moments away from a show we all eagerly awaited.
The star-studded front row included everyone you could think of, from Beyonce and Zendaya to Jay Z, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Lenny Kravitz. It was, after all, the most hotly anticipated show of the season.
The show began with a model emerging through a live orchestra, clad in a boxy suit jacket paired with tailored shorts. It was the perfect beginning to a very complex and increasingly varied collection that followed. It was clear from the onset that Pharrell was offering his re-imagination of the House’s famous Damier print. Pharrell looked to the future where Vuitton’s signature code is pixelated. In an interview with WWD, the multihyphenate said, “I knew that I wanted to really lean into the Damier, something that hadn’t had such a great concentration in it, and we did so by using the Damier as a platform and as a new artistic discipline, and we some really interesting expressions.” While the Damier is usually rendered in a monochromatic brown-tan and black-grey combination. Walking on the path of Abloh, Pharrell offered pixelated renditions of the Damier in various shades and hues, including camouflage, contrasted yellow, and distressed three-dimensional patterns. Pharrell has arrived in all his creative glory.
Looking back to Vuitton’s origins, bags were a focal point of the show, after all, it is bags that make Vuitton’s world rotate. Williams produced several bags of varying sizes, much like his apparel, the collection offered something for everyone. From small crossbody bags to large duffels, and even a massive trunk that made its way to the runway on the back of a golf buggy, it was clear the designer had settled into his role and understood the House’s codes while offering his personal touch to these fabled pieces. The collection featured almost every item in a men’s wardrobe, which was leveled up with Williams’ gender-fluid style.
The designer came forth, with his entire creative army behind him, took a bow, wiped away tears, and raised a finger to the sky, with the crowd raising to a standing ovation. It was the moment that signified the birth of Pharrell’s Vuitton. It was Louis Vuitton with every single drop of Pharrell’s artistic expression, star power, and creative genius.