Pharrell Williams has debuted his first collection as the newly appointed Creative Director of Louis Vuitton menswear.
Williams unveiled the highly anticipated Spring 2024 collection on Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, to a star-studded front row.
In a hint of what was to come, the runway was covered in shades of warm yellow, in Louis Vuitton’s ‘Damier’ print — a checkerboard pattern that has been a signature code of the house since the 1800s.
The collection itself was centred on a modern reimagining of the Damier print, in the form of a pixelated, cubic pattern that featured heavily throughout the pieces. The digitised version of this classic was created by American pixel artist, ET Artist, for a modern nod to Louis Vuitton’s rich menswear history.
“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 have some really interesting expressions,” Williams told WWD.
Williams re-imagined another of the house’s iconic codes: the LV initial logo. William’s take combined the LV initials with the word ‘lovers’, to form a new emblem: LVRS.
According to the show notes, LVERS “is a state of mind: warmth, well being and welcome-ness. It is the culture of a global community connected by an appreciation for the core values of the maison.” And, in a sweet nod to William’s upbringing in Virginia, the LVRS emblem nods to the slogan of William’s home state: “Virginia is for lovers”.
Proving his starpower — Williams is the first celeb to transition from the music industry to a fashion role of this kind — A-listers were out in full force to support the collection’s unveiling.
Sitting next to each other in the front row, Euphoria star Zendaya wore a glittering shirt and pant set, while Beyoncé opted for an oversized yellow shirt, with equally oversized sunglasses.
Kim Kardashian also made an appearance, in a camouflaged version of Williams’ Damier print, emblazoned across a sports bra and leggings. She accessorised the look with a fur-covered belt bag in the same pattern.
And, rounding out the evening in spectacular fashion, Williams was joined by Jay-Z for a musical performance to close the show.
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