Paris: Pharrell Williams brought the American West to Paris as he revealed a collection of cowboy hats and rhinestones for his latest show as creative director at Louis Vuitton.
Renowned for chart-topping hits like “Happy” and his collaboration on Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Williams joined the French fashion house last year, underscoring the flourishing intersection of fashion, music, and celebrity.
Headlining the first day of Paris Fashion Week, Williams presented a collection teeming with denim, tassels, Native American-inspired ponchos, pearl and sequin floral embroideries, and an extensive array of cowboy boots and hats reminiscent of a country music festival. The show’s notes characterized it as “an exploration of the origins of workwear through the savoir-faire of Louis Vuitton.”
Hosted in a spacious hangar adjacent to Louis Vuitton’s Foundation art museum in western Paris, the event drew notable figures such as actors Bradley Cooper and Omar Sy, along with rappers Playboi Carti and Pusha T. The evening concluded with Williams taking the stage alongside the British band Mumford and Sons and a group of Native American musicians.
This elaborate production served as another high-profile marketing endeavour for Vuitton, which achieved a milestone last year by becoming the first fashion brand to surpass 20 billion euros ($21.8 billion) in revenues. However, local authorities have raised concerns about the brand’s impact on daily life in Paris, particularly following Williams’ previous takeover of the Pont Neuf bridge for his inaugural runway show, causing disruptions in the city’s historic centre. —AFP/APP
