Pharrell Williams debuts his Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall-Winter 2024 collection on January 16th in Paris, France, for Fashion Week.
The new year has charged Pharrell Williams to bring classic looks from the American Western era to begin Men’s Fashion Week in Paris. Fashion enthusiasts can expect high couture with exquisite designs and intricate themes in 2024. In Pharrell’s’ third collaboration with Louis Vuitton, his cowboy-inspired collection displayed the heritage of Louis Vuitton while paying homage to his rich Virginia culture.
Pharrell’s extensive and meaningful partnership with Louis Vuitton has been around for over a decade. In his 2024 show, there is great proof that his creativity and talent have grown since his early relationship with Louis Vuitton in 2004. Here is a recap of Pharrell’s success record with the designer brand.
Pharrell’s history with Louis Vuitton
In 2023, Louis Vuitton announced that Pharrell Williams would replace the late Virgil Abloh as the artistic director of menswear. Willaims’s groundbreaking creativity and revolutionary vision in the arts made him a perfect fit for the French fashion house. Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton said, “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”
As predicted, this new chapter for Louis Vuitton includes Williams’s re-envisioned ‘Speedy’ handbag. Pharell’s vision was to create a collapsible leather texture to add flair to the classic item. His vision for the bag was to be smooth and “buttery”, contrasting its original rigid and stiff stature.
He has merged his fashion, art, and music skills for the French house, breaking artistic boundaries in his collections and shows. His “edgy and avant-garde elements” in his music and designs make him both a distinguished artist and a triple threat. Williams has upheld the Louis Vuitton traditions and standards while showcasing his innovative and creative style.
His show began with a glamorous touch, a gold Damier Ebene Canvas runway as an homage to their classic chessboard-like house pattern. Williams’s ambition was to utilize the canvas so that he could communicate his ideas through his love for camouflage, as seen below.
Pharrell brings Virginia to Paris
Pharell William’s runway showcased 80 classic American Western wardrobe looks at the opening of men’s Paris Fashion Week. With astounding visuals, including the perfect western canyon environment, the fusion of music, art, and fashion was executed proficiently.
His show challenges the audience to reimagine what the classic Western country look can be. The majority of his collection uses classic styles like fringe, decorated denim, belts, and chaps, which include a turquoise touch.
In a backstage interview hosted by Louis Vuitton, some of the audience members reflected on how the expansive looks left an inspiring impression on them. The Western-styled looks included cowboy hats, boots, flannels, belts, denim, jackets, etc. Audience members were transported to a different era by the elegance and finesse of detail by Williams.
Breakdown of the runway
Many of the looks included Western floral print, customized accessories with the brand’s logo, ‘LV’, engraved, and pocket embroidering on the garments. Through this, Pharell’s state, Virginia, makes subtle appearances. Many pieces of the collection are branded with “VA Is for LVers” and “Virginia Is for LVers” slogans. This truly reflects Pharell’s upbringing and his life in Virginia.
Moreover, a variety of red varsity jackets include stitched embroidery spelling out “LV” and interlocking “P” and “A” made up of rhinestones. This references Pharell’s own Princess Anne High School varsity jacket. Behind this simple design, Pharell brings his own start toward fame into the collection. At Princess Anne High School, Pharell and Chad Hugo, The Neptunes, got discovered after performing at a high school talent show.
Overall, Pharell’s inclusion of his home state and high school shows his grounded nature and his everlasting connection to his home. Despite being a world-renowned music producer and artist, he always keeps his humble beginnings with him. Pharell also still stays in touch with his old high school marching band director while also occasionally visiting his alma mater to speak to students.
The collection – Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall-Winter 2024
William’s refinement to the Hollywood western look draws inspiration from vintage aesthetics while imbuing them with a contemporary twist. Pharrell’s efforts to explore the hidden gems of Western culture were a success as he collaborated with artists from the Dakota and Lakota. The fusion of couture and rich heritage made for a decadent show.
While the collection is for men, Pharrell’s versatile and inclusive wardrobe was worn by three female models. The three women wore timeless and reconstructed cowboy outfits, including yoked skirts, boots, embroidered ruffle shirts, and bell-bottom jeans.
The majority of his classically styled denim looks included a unique turquoise accent piece. Many of the jackets, jewelry, and shoes had floral embroideries made of pearls and sequins, all washed in various hues.
As the reinvented ‘Speedy’ bag made its way down the catwalk with various looks, Williams’s makes his mark on the runway. Adding a personal touch, Williams fuses inspiration from his own style within the collection. Pharell’s style itself has had an influence within the hip-hop community for years. This year, Pharell coins the term “damoflage” as a fusion between Louis Vuitton’s classic checkered Damier pattern and traditional camouflage pattern. With a variety of “buttery” and cutting-edge leather, the pieces ranged from solid, cow print, “damoflage”, tribal print, glossy, matt, and various shapes and sizes.
In addition to the bags, numerous models wore variations of cowboy boots that complimented their looks. Some models wore Timberland boots, bringing a classic rustic American look to the runway in an all-new light.
In the entirety of the show, Pharell brought back the Western style while leaving his fans and audience wanting more for the upcoming season.
