Pharrell Williams Excites at SS24 Louis Vuitton Debut

Pharrell Williams’s appointment as Creative Director for Louis Vuitton Menswear sent fashion Twitter into a frenzy. One would wonder why Pharrell Williams was appointed with reported contenders and design juggernauts such as Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner, and even Telfar Clemens. Or if his celebrity would overshadow his design abilities and the possible lack thereof.

Williams’s Spring/Summer 2024 Menswear Debut was nothing short of extravagant and Black. From Clipse walking down the runway to their new song (now reigniting a beef with Jim Jones) to an angelic-sounding gospel choir ending the show in a praise break (a dance break originating and most commonly seen in Black Baptist & Pentecostal churches), the show established Williams’s design and cultural perspective. We now know what to expect from the house in future collections; it is truly his own. Nothing about the show screamed similarity to his larger-than-life predecessor Virgil Abloh. They are both telling a very Black experience from two different voices.

Major critiques of the show were that William’s debut as Creative Director was mediocre for the budget and infrastructure LVMH has, the Creative Director role should have gone to a candidate with an extensive design background, and Williams’s celebrity overshadows his potential but not proven lack of talents.

First, one must consider the Louis Vuitton Menswear customer. Louis Vuitton is a gateway luxury brand to many, so Williams had to consider clothes and accessories that would sell. Since its inception, Louis Vuitton is best known for its luggage and accessories.

They were not necessarily known for cutting-edge apparel design. With these factors considered, the Louis Vuitton Menswear customer may either be looking for glorified pieces of what they are familiar with or are often buying an entry-level item, usually an accessory, such as a bag, wallet, scarf, etc.

Streetwear is a major sales generator in today’s menswear landscape. Considering the sales streetwear powerhouse Virgil Abloh brought in for Louis Vuitton, along with streetwear revolutionizing menswear forever, Pharrell Williams is an obvious choice.

The propagation of streetwear and the subsequent emergence of luxury streetwear had been simmering for decades (think back to the 80s with Dapper Dan).

Billionaire Boys Club, co-founded by Williams, Nigo, and Rob Walker along with Nigo-founded Bape, dominated the streetwear market in the 2000s. Louis Vuitton is looking for someone who can push sales forward but also stay true to Vuitton’s conservative ethos. Williams has proven he has the eye to execute this role successfully.

Now onto the clothes. This collection is clearly an amalgamation of who we know as Pharrell Williams. It is unapologetically Parisian, but undoubtedly Pharrell. We saw many references to Marc Jacobs and his tenure at the fashion house through many Damier printed pieces and the iconic Alma bag reimagined in new copper and green colorways and larger-than-life sizes. The show was cohesive down to the socks.

As a business girlie, I fell in love with this collection. It was a perfect combination of sellable and PR items. As an accessories lover, instantly I zeroed in on what I wanted to purchase when the collection was released.

A friend of mine, celebrity stylist Raelen Todd, brought up a great point. When debuting a first collection at a fashion house, one must adhere to house codes and culture. “I feel like a first show for a new CD should be all about house codes and he did that well”. Louis Vuitton is a house of tradition and conservatism. Similarly, streetwear is a heavily gendered subgenre of fashion. Still, Williams successfully created a collection in which there is something for everyone and pushed the boundaries of streetwear.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this show. Williams has solidified himself in the luxury fashion market more than ever. I think the critiques of Williams have some merit but we have to remember we can’t expect someone to tell a story outside of their own experiences, influences, and even target market.

FAVORITE LOOKS

To me, this outfit is peak LV customer. This is who I envision buying Williams's Vuitton, cool, calculated, & handsome.

My guess: The extra-large Alma will be a staple for travelers.

As a denim junkie, both of these looks enamored me! In the top right, we see the Damier print pixelated. Almost as if the print is restarting or being powered down. My guess is the beanies and bags will be popular with the aspirational customer and generate heavy volume.

This is not the first time we've seen the pixel motif from the French fashion conglomerate. Fellow LVMH brand, Loewe has made the pixel popular. Williams's pixel is reimagined specifically for the Damier print, seen in the top right. Interestingly the pixel motif varies within this collection. I love this bottom look especially. While both looks are similar, they cater to slightly different customers.

My eyes could be playing tricks on me. But to the right is an example of the pixel motif in a traditional sense. However, for the denim looks and for other pieces, the Damier print itself is pixelated. It looks "grainy" for lack of a better term if one looks closely enough. Also gorgeous family.

I love everything about this. I also really appreciate the casting of these models and the looks they were dressed in. They wore the clothes, not the other way around.

Seen on Rihanna in a recent editorial.

Thought this was Jonah Hill for half a second. Forgive me. It is in fact Stefano Pilati. The former YSL Creative Director is responsible for the Muse Bag, Tribute Sandal, and Tulip Skirt.

Dao-Yi Chow of Public School trots down the Parisian Runway to an equally star-studded audience.

Love this fur coat. Very Lil-Kim coded. I want it!!

Pharrell references himself with this Princess Anne Letterman jacket. Pic Cred from @aar0n_rouse (check out the significance of this Letterman Jacket to Virginia!)

many details of the collection remind me of Tyler the Creator's CMIYGL style

Additional Favorites

Details to Die for

The LV ALMA seen in this show is reminiscent of the F/W 2006 Mirror Monogram Bag worn by Paris Hilton & Kim Kardashian (created under Marc Jacobs's creative direction.

I look forward to seeing what else Williams has to offer the French maison.

Works Cited

Andjelic, W. B. A., & Andjelic, A. (2023, March 21). The Jacobs effect. Highsnobiety. https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/marc-jacobs-louis-vuitton-history/

Journal → Runway Archive. Louis Vuitton: the Marc Jacobs’ years | European Fashion Heritage Association. (n.d.). https://fashionheritage.eu/louis-vuitton-the-marc-jacobs-years/#:~:text=Jacobs%20was%20appointed%20at%20Louis,growth%20of%20the%20fashion%20house.

Takanashi, L. (2023, June 22). The references to know from Pharrell’s first Louis Vuitton Show. Complex. https://www.complex.com/style/a/lei-takanashi/pharrell-williams-louis-vuitton-collection-bts

Vintage, E. L. (2021, August 20). The history of: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Canvas and Damier Azur Canv. l’Étoile de Saint Honoré. https://etoile-luxuryvintage.com/blogs/the-history-of/the-history-of-louis-vuitton-damier-ebene-and-azur#:~:text=The%20Damier%20Canvas%20was%20first,older%20than%20the%20Monogram%20Canvas!