Pharell William’s Louis Vuitton Debut
In a spectacular display of fashion and creativity, Louis Vuitton, under the artistic direction of Pharrell Williams, took over Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour for its Men’s Pre-Fall 2024 Show. The event, held on November 30, 2023, showcased Williams’ second collection for the iconic brand.
Transforming the Avenue of Stars into a runway, the show presented a striking nautical theme to an audience of 1,200. A sandy promenade, flanked by screens depicting rolling blue waves, set the stage for a collection that perfectly blended elegance with maritime flair.
Models donned naval-inspired hats and strutted in sharp suits, shorts, and distinctively clunky footwear. As the show progressed, the attire shifted to more playful, vibrant pieces, featuring tropical shirts and shorts paired with Louis Vuitton’s signature, brightly colored bags in various shapes and sizes.
Culminating in a breathtaking drone display over the harbour, forming an immense LV logo, the show left guests in awe. Pharrell Williams himself graced the finale, looking dapper in a wing-tipped jacket, complete with a tie, hat, and heart-shaped glasses.
Here’s a glimpse into some of the standout looks from this unforgettable runway event.
Pharrell Williams’ relationship with Louis Vuitton began long before a few days ago
Pharrell Williams’ first business ventures in fashion were highly successful and grew into many collaborations and relationships in streetwear and the luxury scene.
Hitmakers Williams shrouded in an LV-branded scarf
This is how Pharrell landed his first collaboration with Louis Vuitton – his Millionaire sunglasses were designed together with Nigo and lately reworked by Virgil Abloh.
Pharrell and Nigo designed the Millionaire sunglasses for Marc Jacobs’ Louis Vuitton spring-summer 2005 collection. The red, black and white frames were released in 2005. The purple and turquoise were reissued in 2007
Williams collaborated with the fashion house more than once – he created custom outerwear and the “Blason” jewellery collection. He modelled for their campaigns, not to mention his friendship with ex-creative director Marc Jacobs and regularly attending Louis Vuitton fashion shows. And while looking at what he created for Louis Vuitton in the 2000s, we will not forget what he did with his historic Chanel collaboration in 2019.
Pharrell Williams is taking over the late Virgil Abloh’s role as Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director: the two were colleagues and good friends
The appointment of Pharrell Williams as a Louis Vuitton men’s creative director makes way more sense than it might seem from an unfamiliar perspective. The course the brand took with Virgil Abloh showed excellent results and a cult following. Williams was in the scene and opened the doors for many young talents, including Virgil Abloh, with his unique taste and influence.
Virgil Abloh and Pharrell Williams
The late Virgil Abloh openly stated that Pharrell William was one of his greatest cultural influences and a perfect connection to someone with a previous relationship with the brand and cultural relevance in the industry.
Why Pharrell Williams will do wonders for Louis Vuitton’s business
Pharrell Williams’ style is another reason for his worldwide influence – he has been named the most stylish man for years, and the industry totally loves him. Williams had good relationships with many prominent figures like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld, which birthed their years-long creative collaborations with Chanel.
Karl Lagerfeld and Pharrell Williams
He appeared in many fashion editorials, including Vogue, alongside models like Natasha Poly and his then-girlfriend Karolína Kurková. With this long experience and the iconic status for decades, Pharrell Williams can only succeed in Louis Vuitton. The first collection will premiere during the next men’s fashion week, and the world will see his work coming to fruition.