Last week in Paris, Pharrell Williams debuted his first highly anticipated collection since being appointed Louis Vuitton’s newest Men’s Creative Director. Read on to learn more about William’s relationship with the brand, for my main takeaways as a professional wardrobe stylist.
About Pharrell Williams:
The appointment of Williams, American producer, rapper, and songwriter to step into the late Virgil Abloh’s position at LV was a shock to many, but less surprising to those who are familiar with his close ties in the fashion industry. Aside from his hit-making music career, Williams (aka Skateboard P, or mononymously as just Pharrell) made waves in the fashion world with his creation of “Billionaire Boys Club”, the streetwear brand and collaborative project with Nigo, Japanese fellow music producer and founder of the A Bathing Ape. Both influenced heavily by hip-hop and skateboard culture, the two continued to shape the street fashion of the early 2000’s and 2010’s. Williams continued to collaborate with some of the biggest fashion houses: co-designing eyewear and jewelry for Louis Vuitton with then-creative-director Marc Jacobs, as well as Adidas and Chanel to name a few. As a music and fashion icon in his own right, Williams is no stranger to observing and shaping culture through his art. In response to critics unfamiliar with his expertise and influence, Williams told Revolt: “I didn’t go to Central Saint Martins, but I also didn’t go to Juilliard either in music, and I mean, we see how that turned out.”
Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Menswear
Themes:
Heavy hearts in memory of Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s preceding Men’s Creative Director from 2018-2021 (up until his unfortunate passing), were lifted by the multitude of references to his contributions to the brand and to the world of fashion as a whole. His influence permeated street fashion, and is still prevalent in the newest collection as seen in the soccer jerseys with “Marque L. Vuitton deposee” embroidered on the chest , and brightly colored Damier Totes (reminiscent of this Virgil Abloh Teal and White Damier Leather Marque Déposée Keepall Bandoulière 45).
Woven into the familiar styles and motifs were themes of skateboard and street fashion, as well as strong references to military uniforms and utilitarianism: the latter of which can be seen in the leather items dyed in dark olive greens and monochromatic grays in varying shades, as well as the widespread use of “Damoflage,” Louis Vuitton’s newest hybrid-print combining their classic Damier pattern and digital camouflage (often abbreviated as digi-camo).
Silhouettes
The Men’s Spring & Summer 2024 collection was kept relatively traditional in terms of the silhouettes: longline blazers, floor-length trench coats, and knee-length dress shorts evoked rectangular shapes, while waist length jackets and slimming midi skirts highlighted inverted-triangle silhouettes. A refreshing complement to these top-heavy looks included bootcut pants, which we should expect to see more of in the coming year. (Pharrell himself wore a pair of his digi-camo bootcut pants to the show!)
What did you think of Pharrell’s debut collection? Let us know in the comments below! Stay tuned for more fashion news, and subscribe if you haven’t already. Until next week, happy shopping!
