Pharrell’s Fashion Week Rodeo

PARIS – It was the Wild West at the Louis Vuitton show, to kick off men’s fashion week. Never mind the set design, straight out of Disney’s Frontierland, or the clothes, which were a hot take on everything this side of “Yellowstone.” But it was also the absolute gold rush of Pharrell Williams luring guests to a tent outside the Foundation Louis Vuitton, set among the suburban woods of Bois de Boulogne, for his third collection.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m starting the show now, I’m sorry,” said a booming voice over the loudspeaker about a half hour after the show was set to begin and most guests were still searching for their seats. The scramble made for a game of musical chairs as everyone tried to find a place.

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“It’s kind of like ‘Urban Cowboy,’ with John Travolta, bring that country boy to the city,” said “Red, White and Royal Blue” star Taylor Zakhar Perez, tipping his LV-branded cowboy hat. “I like how Pharrell is trying to incorporate the country into the city and making it something you can wear in your day-to-day life.”

Illinois-born and bred Perez said he supports not only cowboy style but cowboy culture, too. “For me, farmers are the backbone of America, or of every country really, and I think it’s time we show some respect,” he said. As for his own cowboy skills? “I can ride a horse, and very well.”

K-pop group Riize, who signed on as ambassadors for the brand in December, were among the biggest draw for fans who waited outside with lighted signs for a glimpse of the six members, while Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan made their way from Los Angeles in the middle of awards season for Pharrell’s rodeo.

During the show, Williams brought in the group Native Voices of Resistance, a collective of Native American performers from various tribes, to perform a thumping beat.

Venus Williams posed for selfies with friends, while Mulligan was there in support of her husband Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons, who took to the stage after the show. Guests were served barbecue, fries and creamed corn from Airstream trailers.

Williams brought a bit of his home state and emblazoned the outside of the tent with “Paris LV Virginia.” Americana meets Paris for Pharrell’s next act.

Launch Gallery: Front Row at Louis Vuitton Men's Fall 2024

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