Inside the Launch Party for Pharrell’s Joopiter Auction Platform

For Pharrell Williams, the process of selling his stuff is a little bit like archaeology.

“You’re around all these items that are holding all this history,” he said Thursday night, his eyes obscured behind a pair of jewel-rimmed sunglasses. A museum-worthy collection of Williams’ collectible wares were on display inside a room in SoHo ahead of being sold at auction. “You know like in archeology, they go digging into the earth and they see the different layers and you can see when it rained? For me, all of these items have all this information, all this symbolism and all these stories attached to it. So it’s crazy to walk in here and feel it all at the same time.”

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Sure, Williams could have turned to one of the many resale avenues — Christie’s, Sotheby’s, StockX, eBay, The RealReal — but none of the options felt like the right choice for selling pieces of his personal artifacts. So he decided to launch Joopiter, a new auction platform rooted in storytelling and honoring upscale items with cultural significance. Each product listing is accompanied by a note of its significance.

The musician and entrepreneur was onsite for the VIP preview of “Son of a Pharaoh,” Joopiter’s inaugural auction. Items included sneakers — some bedazzled, others limited-edition — plenty of diamond jewelry and accessories, watches, luggage, and even a Princess Anne High School drumline letterman jacket. These aren’t PR cast-offs: these are pieces of music history.

Williams’ 2005 Jacob & Co. N.E.R.D Pendant Chain was a particularly popular draw for guests; the colorful necklace, which features a depiction of the musical trio in diamonds, was described by the platform as “historic” and “incomparable.” (With an auction estimate of $150,000 to $250,000, it’s also one of the most expensive items up for sale.)

“Honestly, at the end of the day they’re all just molecules,” said Williams, asked if he’d reconsidered letting go of any sentimental items after seeing them in the room. “You don’t even take your skin and your bones with you when you go. You only take your memories. So the memories I’ll always have,” he added. “This room is filled with stories, and the person or the people that decide to invest in something, they’ll be buying into these stories.”

Might that person be one of the VIPs in the room? The crowd was packed with successful friends and creative peers of the musician, including Slick Rick, Tyler the Creator, Pusha T, Kaws, Futura, Snoh Aalegra and more. Wendy Deng, Dao-Yi Chow, Larry Warsh and the New Museum’s Karen Wong also dropped by.

“It’s been interesting to see everyone’s reaction to everything,” Williams said. “I don’t know who wants what; I just know there’s a lot of wanting.”

There’s also a charitable component to the platform; some proceeds from Williams’ lot will fund an art scholarship.

“He’s such a visionary, and he’s so willing to take risks and he’s such a generous and compassionate person,” said Joopiter chief executive officer Kellen Roland, who worked with Herschel Supply Co. for many years before linking up with Williams on his brand I Am Other.

“When I look around this room I see items, but I also see parts of my life, and I see moments where I remember a song or a trend or a feeling or a conversation I had with a friend,” said Roland, asked if there was an item in the room he was particularly drawn to. “The G-Shocks are amazing; the Blackberrys are super fun — look at this ring right here,” he said, turning his attention to the 23.85-carat diamond and platinum accessory nearby. “We’re literally seeing the crown jewels of the best designers ever.”

Pusha T, a childhood friend of Williams’, was busy hyping up the glitzy collection on Instagram. “Y’all got to see what’s going on over here,” he enthused, standing next to the letterman jacket. “I’m talking about all the archival, curated, fly s–t Williams’ ever owned: it’s right here. If you want it, come get it.”

Or don’t go anywhere. The beauty of a digital auction platform is that, for a price, that flyness can come to you.

Launch Gallery: Inside the Launch Party for Pharrell's Joopiter Auction Platform

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