Rihannaâs recent Louis Vuitton campaign almost went in a different direction.
In a conversation with Complexâs Aria Hughes, artist Martine Syms detailed the inspiration behind Louis Vuittonâs Menâs Spring-Summer 2024 video campaigns starring the âDiamondsâ singer and LeBron James. Rihannaâs visual was released in June, whereas Jamesâ campaign debuted on Tuesday.
The opportunity to direct the visuals came to the 36-year-old after she received a phone call from the team of Pharell Williams, who would eventually become the fashion brandâs artistic director.
Syms said she imagined the opening sequences of movies and the energy of the streets when brainstorming concepts for the campaigns.
âI was thinking about all these amazing images of [Rihanna] walking on the street with wine glasses,â the artist told Complex, adding that she had a lingering idea in her mind of âeveryday carry.â
Syms continued, âIt is a term people use online for what they pack every day, but itâs more associated with survivalists or camping gear. But I like the idea of thinking about it as like, carry. Like Iâm doing the most. And the bag is something you want to be with you every day. So I was thinking about Rihanna being this icon of the people. We love her. And obviously weâve seen her in 100 percent glam at the Met Gala or in videos, but sheâs even like that when we see her on the street.â
However, Rihannaâs pregnancy at the time meant the artist had to axe the wine glass prop with a cup of coffee taking its place. "I mean, it made me not include the wine glass. That was the original vision but we kind of couldnât do that,â she said.
With LeBron, Syms said she wanted him âto just look really hot.â
âLeBron has this perfect skin. Heâs in amazing shape. And I donât feel like we always get to see Black men in that way,â she said. âAnd LeBron was wearing the suiting collection. And he wore these pajamas with paintings from Henry Taylor. And he was wearing this pearl necklace. All the accessories were just really lush and kind of textured. So that was something I was wanting with him. I wanted the LeBron campaign to actually feel a little bit more aspirational in that way.â