Pharrell's 10 Best Fashion Collaborations

Image via Complex Original

To celebrate “Pharrell Week” at the French retailer, which market the launch of a whole collection of various Pharrell-related projects, the simplistic and minimal BBC T-shirt and hat were just what was needed amid all of the luxury of Moynat bags, fragrant Comme des Garcons perfume, his second Adidas collab, and even a special edition box of macarons. That’s a tee that has aged extremely well and would be a great relic to pull out of the closet on a special occasion.

Pharrell and Louis Vuitton first collaborated on a pair of "Millionaire" sunglasses in 2004, alongside Bathing Ape creator Nigo. Then, deep in the thick of the pandemonium over shutter shades in 2007, the similarly-shaped designs were reissued. The specs became popular with Kanye and plenty of other celebrities at the time. On Pharrell's site, the musician describes them as "one part Tony Montana, one part Notorious B.I.G." A winning combination.

When Moynat put out the Pharrell bat signal, he decided to look backwards and paying homage to the brand’s history as a travel trunk maker that dates back to the 1800s. The result is a small collection of travel bags shaped like, what else, trains. Pharrell took the symbolism deeper, telling Vogue at the time,  “The contents of your bag tells you who you are and where you’re headed.” Well, he’s not wrong.

Before Pharrell worked with Moncler on a collection of sunglasses, he put together a small apparel capsule with the brand featuring outerwear pieces like puffer jackets and vests. Possibly his most underrated collaborative project in my opinion, the garments featured Bionic Yarn and a mesmerizing nature print from Japanese artist Keita Sugiura. A couple looked like bulletproof vests—​though unless goose down is able to stop a bullet, they weren’t actually functional.

Pharrell is always one for a pair of good shades, and his collection with Moncler is a clear example. Billed as “Halfway between futurism and fifties style,” the Lunettes collection of specs were made of titanium with nylon lenses that looked straight out of Blade Runner. The best pair were naturally the windshield-esque style that could play replacement for a welder’s mask or ski goggles, if necessary.

In the States, Dutch clothing brand G-Star doesn’t have the same ubiquity that it does in Europe. But Pharrell’s work with the label has been pretty remarkable. The collections, titled “RAW For the Oceans,” use a blend of cotton and eco-friendly Bionic Yarn (a project started by Tyson Toussant that Pharrell also works on), which is made from recycled plastics, to help reduce the amount of waste polluting the oceans. Pharrell didn’t stop there. Earlier this year, he signed on as co-owner of G-Star. Saving the planet, one pair of jeans at a time.

2014 also saw the Bee Line off-shoot of Pharrell’s Billionaire Boys Club working with Timberland to create an all-red take on the iconic six-inch boot. After teasing the release at the 10th anniversary party of BBC, the boots were released to the public in limited quantities that fully capitalized on the all-red phenomenon that took over all of footwear for a solid year or so.

Like Pharrell, Uniqlo has its own impressive roster of collaborators. So, it only makes sense that the two would link up eventually. Started in 2014, Pharrell and his creative collective i am OTHER have worked with the gigantic Japanese fashion brand for a run of T-shirts and hats that play off his ethos and attitude to always be yourself. The collection has been regularly released since the first iteration in April 2014.

Bape may never die, but there's nothing like the brand's initial glory days. While Bape founder Nigo and Pharrell are good friends who have worked closely on numerous occasions, Skateboard P has never had a proper Bape collaboration—except for a T-shirt in honor of the brand’s 20th anniversary and these technicolor Roadstas that the two put together in 2006. This memorable take on one of Bape’s signature designs won’t soon be forgotten.

Pharrell’s relationship with the Adidas has brought his high-level design taste to a variety of the brand’s most recognizable sneaker silhouettes and athletic gear. From his hand-drawn Stan Smiths made for Colette, to the dozens of colors of the Superstar, to the most recent endeavor with the adidas NMD, Pharrell and Adidas have been putting together noteworthy projects on the regular. And, thankfully, it shows no sign of slowing down.

Want to experience Complex IRL? Check out ComplexCon, a festival and exhibition on Nov. 5-6, 2016 in Long Beach, Calif., featuring performances, panels, and more. For ticket info, click here.