The American musician, producer and stylist Pharrell Williams was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections on Tuesday February 14. He had already collaborated for the French house.
His name was not on the shortlist, but Pharrell Williams was named, to everyone’s surprise, artistic director of men’s collections at Louis Vuitton and succeeds Virgil Abloh, passed away by cancer in November 2021. The appointment of the 49-year-old superstar continues the legacy of Virgil Abloh, a jack-of-all-trades artist turned movie star. millennials for having skilfully married luxury and streetwear. An approach shared by Pharrell Williams who has a passion for skateboarding, the world of art and music.
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” Pharrell Williams is a visionary whose creative worlds span from music to art and fashion – establishing himself as a universal cultural icon over the past twenty years. His ability to overcome the boundaries between the different worlds he explores fits naturally with the cultural dimension of Louis Vuitton, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship. “, praises the brand in a press release.
13 Grammy Awards
“ I am happy to see Pharrell coming home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 “said Pietro Beccari, CEO of Louis Vuitton quoted in the press release. ” His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton to a very exciting new chapter. “, he continues.
With 10 billion combined global music streams to date, Pharrell Williams has received 13 Grammy Awards, including 2004, 2014 and 2019 as Producer of the Year. He received two Oscar nominations, for the original song “Happy” from the film Despicable Me 2 and for Hidden Figuresnominated for the Best Picture award, as co-producer.
Born in Virginia Beach, on the east coast of the United States, Pharrell Williams, who has more than 14 million followers on Instagram, has also carried out other fashion collaborations, notably with Moncler and Adidas for Superstar and Stan sneakers. Smith. He also co-founded in 2003 Billionaire Boys Club, a streetwear brand much appreciated by young people with the Japanese Nigo, recently appointed artistic director of Kenzo which also belongs to the LVMH.
Pharrell Williams is also known for his anti-discrimination projects such as Yellow, an NGO that seeks to give all young people equal opportunities through education. In 2020, he launched Black Ambition, an initiative providing a bridge to success for disadvantaged entrepreneurs launching start-ups in technology, healthcare and consumer services.
His first collection will be unveiled in June during the next men’s ready-to-wear week in Paris.
(With AFP)