From Beyoncé to Jared Leto: Pharrell’s Debut Runway Show for Louis Vuitton Brings Out the Stars
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Pharrell Williams just ushered in a new era for one of fashion’s biggest names.
The 13-time Grammy winner debuted his first menswear collection for Louis Vuitton in Paris on Monday, shutting down the Pont Neuf—the city’s oldest bridge—to turn it into a runway and seating for a star-studded list of celebrity onlookers. Everyone from Beyoncé to A$AP Rocky attended the show. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and his eldest son Antoine were also spotted among the stars as designs by Williams trickled down the runway against a sunset backdrop with a full orchestra and gospel choir on hand to relish the moment.
Guests met near Musee D’Orsay, in front of Rihanna’s recently unveiled Louis Vuitton campaign ad, before taking a boat down the Seine River to Pont Neuf, CNN reports. They arrived to find the bridge transformed into a continuous strip of the brand’s checkered Damier motif. Williams reimagined the print, introduced by the French Maison in 1889, with a pixilated twist for his first collection, appearing on an assortment of lengthy overcoats, matching suits, and one stylish collarless tapestry jacket.
Dubbed Damoflage, the trippy print appears in more exaggerated styles across quilted denim jackets, trench coats, leather motorcycle jackets, flared trousers, leather jerseys, and rugby shirts featured in Williams’s Spring-Summer 2024 menswear collection. Signature trunks and cases by the heritage label with the new print graced the runway in the hands of over 70 models, as well as oversized Speedy bags and backpacks. Accessories like baseball caps and chunky beanies (such as the one Rihanna wore in the front row) also kept the collection’s debut interesting.
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A variety of stylish footwear was featured throughout the collection but its boot offerings take the cake. Ranging from dazzling white and black editions to Wellington boots donning the Damoflage design, they’re hard to miss. Williams’s use of the classic British rain boots is ironic, seeing as Hunter Boots went into administration this week, owing creditors nearly £113 million pounds.
Williams was appointed men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton back in February, ending a long-awaited decision on who might fill the large shoes left in the wake of the late Virgil Abloh, whose own debut was a star-studded event. Other megastars who attended Williams’s first show for the house included Lenny Kravitz, Kim Kardashian, Maluma, Zendaya, Jay-Z, Anitta, Lewis Hamilton, Naomi Campbell, as well as Jaden and Willow Smith.
The Voices of Fire gospel choir closed the show chanting, “Joy! Joy! Joy!” to commemorate the occasion. Williams gleefully brought the Louis Vuitton design team down the runway to celebrate—replicating a scene at Pitti Uomo’s Fendi show. But so many elements of Williams’s debut are singular that’ll it’ll go down in menswear history as one to remember.
Click here for more images of the front row attendees.
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