Rapper, producer, hit maker extraordinaire, Pharrell Williams, was appointed as Louis Vuitton’s Creative Director this past Tuesday, February 14th, as the successor to Virgil Abloh who tragically passed away late 2020. Pharrell is many things but predictable is not one of them, which translates well across his reach and influence. From baggy jeans with Billionaire Boys Club Snapbacks and BB Simon belts in the early 00’s to mid 2010’s where he donned a Ed Hardy, 80’s B boy mashup look you will never know where he will take his vision.
As stated, Pharrell is no stranger to having a voice and prominent style in fashion, which is why it’s no surprise he’d be offered the opportunity to one of the most prestigious roles in fashion. In a statement from the official Louis Vuitton Instagram page, Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO said, “I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”
Samuel Hine, writer for GQ, made a good point on this subject where he connected Pharrell’s Skateboarding roots with hip-hop for his brand ‘Ice Cream,’ which helped push a seachange for different kinds of men’s fashion. This is important, for a brand like Louis Vuitton as their name and image holds incredible weight in all of fashion they need creatives that want to experiment. One of the biggest collaborations of the past decade was between Chanel and Williams ‘Human Race’ model at Adidas that the 2nd market sells for over $10,000. This was a huge moment for not only for Chanel but more for Adidas as it was truly the first real integration of High Fashion and an athletic sneaker with top notch execution and branding. This I feel is what could be attributed to the Gucci Adidas Gazelle collab and LV Air Force 1 making as much noise as they did.
With Pharrell at the helm there is much to be excited about for upcoming Louis Vuitton Collections.
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