At Pharrell Williams’s debut show as the Men’s Creative Director of Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week, it was neither the celebrities in attendance nor the gorgeous designs presented on the runway that stood out the most — but a pair of sunglasses. These are no ordinary shades: Williams appeared wearing custom-designed Tiffany & Co. sunglasses to take a bow as the designer.
Crafted from 18-carat yellow gold and adorned with a combination of round brilliant and baguette diamonds, amounting to an impressive total carat weight of over 20, this eyewear piece’s unique and exclusive design is nothing short of extraordinary. The frames took the form of teardrops pointed upward, and the lenses were jet black.
This chic pair of glasses followed from a previous partnership, or as Williams himself referred to it, an “engagement” between Tiffany & Co. and the singer. Last year at the Kenzo fashion show, Williams showed off a pair of bejewelled sunglasses, also shaped as teardrops with jet-black lenses, adorned with diamonds as well as emeralds.
At the time, Williams hinted at the possibility of a larger project with Tiffany’s: and here we have it, an absolutely otherworldly pair of glasses that completed Williams’s look of Louis Vuitton “camouflage” (camouflage with the classic LV Damier pattern) suit. With Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton both being part of the LVMH group and considering Williams’s creative ambitions, we are bound to expect many more luxurious bejewelled designs and, perhaps, a collaboration between the two luxury Maisons.
Pharrell Williams, best known for his career in music and show business, during which he earned 2 Oscar nominations and won 13 Grammys, was announced as the Men’s Creative Director of Louis Vuitton last winter. The Maison praised Williams’s imaginativeness and boldness and commented that this collaboration reinforces Louis Vuitton’s “values of innovation, pioneer spirit, and entrepreneurship.”
Williams presented his first collection Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2024, at the Paris fashion week— and it was epic. The collection really brought into focus LV’s iconic Damier print. The signature “chessboard” pattern took an exciting turn and was represented in the form of a pixelated, cubic design prominently featured in all the pieces. Building upon the legacy of his predecessor, the late Virgil Abloh, and partnering with the American pixel artist ET Artist, responsible for digitalising Damier, Williams took it to the next level, showing us colours varying from camouflage to monochrome denim to contrast taxicab-yellow patterns. Even the stunning Pont Neuf overlooking the Seine was illuminated with the Damier motif.
Inspired by his home state of Virginia, the freshly minted creative director also revisited the LV logo, modifying the state’s slogan “Virginia Is for Lovers” to “Virginia Is for LVers,” and introducing the themes of warmth and intimacy to the collection. Besides, commenting on his appointment as the Men’s Creative Director on Valentine’s Day, Williams said that it was like “love at first sight”: “LV is for lovers […] lovers of the moment, lovers of detail, lovers of this time and people who want to squeeze the best out of life, down to the last drop.” The collection was also adorned with pearls and golden chains that added elegance and character and highlighted the singer’s creative voice.
Unsurprisingly, Williams’s debut show was marked by powerful music. The whole runway show was accompanied by a live orchestra and a choir from Williams’s hometown. The musicians, amongst which was the famous pianist Lang Lang, played the original composition by Williams, “Peace Be Still”. The fashion show ended with a music show: Jay-Z took over the stage to perform his top hits.
The Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 closed with Jay-Z singing with Pharrell Williams, delivering an unforgettable performance.
Article Edited by Anastasia Fedosova