PARIS (Reuters) – American artist Pharrell Williams, 49, has been appointed artistic director of men’s collections at Louis Vuitton with immediate effect, the French luxury goods giant said in a statement on Tuesday.
This position had been vacant since the death in November 2021 of stylist Virgil Abloh, appointed in 2018.
Pharrell Williams will unveil his first collection next June during Paris Fashion Week, LVMH said, calling the Grammy-winning producer, composer and singer a “visionary”.
“The way he breaks down the barriers between the different worlds he explores is aligned with Louis Vuitton’s status as a cultural house, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship”, is it written in the LVMH press release.
Citing the collaborations between Pharrell Williams and Louis Vuitton in 2004 and 2008, the group’s CEO, Pietro Beccari, said the American artist’s “creative vision”, “beyond fashion, will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter”.
A popular icon who contributed to the emergence of “streetwear”, Pharrell Williams co-founded the Billionaire Boys Club brand in 2003 with Japanese designer Nigo. He has also collaborated with Adidas, Moncler and Chanel in the past.
(Written by Nicolas Delame and Jean Terzian)
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