First Look: Tyler, The Creator Designed a Capsule Collection for Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton

Samuel Hine
·4 min read
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Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

At Louis Vuitton Men’s, Pharrell Williams has been dropping hit after hit. And his next surefire smash features the hottest collaborator in fashion, music, and just about everything else: Tyler, the Creator, who he tapped to design a standalone collection for the French house. The capsule is out globally March 21.

Pharrell and Tyler have worked together for years; Pharrell’s vocals and sonic fingerprints can be heard across Tyler’s discography, and Tyler most recently contributed a verse on Pharrell’s 2022 single “Cash In Cash Out.” But the collection (officially dubbed the “Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Men’s Capsule by Tyler, The Creator”) marks their first fully-fledged fashion project together.

“Tyler has been my close friend and collaborator for years and we’ve always connected on music and design,” said Pharrell in an email. “This collaboration is unique to Louis Vuitton because it’s a natural extension of our LVERS philosophy, building on our network of incredible artists and creatives. There are so many elements specific to Tyler built into these pieces and it’s been inspiring to see him hone in on his craft and collaborate with him for this Spring collection.”

<cite class="credit">Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

French luxury tends to have a certain heavy solemnity, and the capsule speaks to what Pharrell has done so effortlessly at the house, which is to make it feel spirited and inviting, like he’s blown the doors off and there’s a huge party happening inside. (He’s also made it feel—mon dieu!—very American.) Pharrell is incredibly skilled at a lot of things, but at his core he is a wonderful entertainer.

So when Pharrell invited him over, Tyler understood that he had to hog the mic. In fact, he started by taking the opportunity to join a very short list of artists and designers who have reworked the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram by hand-drawing his own. Dubbed the “Craggy Monogram,” Tyler’s interpretation is done in sugary shades of vanilla, chocolate, and pastel. (He’s previously cited Takashi Murakami’s iconic colorful LV collaboration as an inspiration.) The wiggly monogram also includes doodles of his beloved airedale terriers, and is splashed across a brown puffer jacket, a creamy windbreaker, a tailored short suit, and a host of accessories. Tyler is obsessed with hard luggage—remember when he showed up to the Grammys in bellhop mode?—and he drew up a whole set for LV, including a €68,000 Courrier Lozine 110 trunk, the largest LV makes, which the artist will surely add to his extensive personal collection of travel cases.

At Golf Wang and upscale sister brand Golf Le Fleur, Tyler has always designed what he wants to wear—and he did the same at Louis Vuitton. The 17 looks embody the irreverently preppy style that makes Tyler one of the most consistently compelling dressers on the planet: There’s his penchant for pastel knits in a cable-knit cricket sweater and pink fair-isle vest; mechanic jackets for when he’s on his bike or working on his cars; and tailored bermudas for the guy who wears shorts to award shows. The accessories, in particular, showcase Tyler’s amusing obsessions: There’s a matching monogram cereal bowl and spoon, a leather golf bag, a cross-body pouch shaped like an airedale, and a travel chessboard featuring hand-sketched pieces. Tyler describes designing the chess set as a personal career highlight.

<cite class="credit">Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

“My main focus was making things I would wear all the time,” Tyler said in an emailed statement. “I dress the same in a meeting as I do a performance or grocery store trip, so hand drawing the monogram felt like the perfect balance to me. The chessboard is one of the greatest things I've made and is definitely my favorite thing from the collection. The team was great to work with, it kinda felt like Big with Tom Hanks. P has always left a door open for me, but I still can’t believe this one.”

See the full lookbook exclusively below.

<cite class="credit">All Images Courtesy of Louis Vuitton</cite>
All Images Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Originally Appeared on GQ

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