On Tuesday afternoon, Pharrell was announced as Louis Vuitton’s new men’s creative director, filling the role that has been left vacant for the past two years following the passing of Virgil Abloh.
“Pharrell Williams is a visionary whose creative universes expand from music to art, and to fashion – establishing himself as a cultural global icon over the past twenty years,” read the brand’s official announcement. “The way in which he breaks boundaries across the various worlds he explores, aligns with Louis Vuitton’s status as a Cultural Maison, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneer spirit, and entrepreneurship.”
Pharrell’s debut collection for Louis Vuitton is currently scheduled to debut in June during Paris Fashion Week Men’s.
Many people expected Louis Vuitton to usher in its new era of menswear with a rising designer like Martine Rose or Grace Wales Bonner. LVMH going in the direction of a more established celebrity with no formal design training came as a surprise to some. But that isn’t to say that Pharrell doesn’t have a resume in fashion worthy of the position. He knows what it takes to present a distinct vision for a brand. He did it with his own Billionaire Boys Club. He also knows how to create memorable pieces for established luxury houses. Just look at what he created for LV back in the 2000s or what he was able to do with his historic Chanel collaboration in 2019. And aside from official projects, he’s been curating cool for decades.
Now that we’ve taken in the big news, let’s take a look at some of the moments that led up to this point. Take a look at Pharrell’s history within fashion below.