Pharrell @ Louis V
Louis Vuitton announced on Valentine’s Day that singer, Pharrell Williams will be the new Men’s Creative Director. Pharrell steps in to this role after the loss of Virgil Abloh, former Creative Director, who died in 2021. Virgil leaves behind a fashion design success at his label Off-White and at Louis Vuitton leaving Pharrell with big shoes to fill.
Photo - Amy Sussman, WWD, Getty Images
Pharrell debuted his first Louis Vuitton collection in June at Paris Fashion Week. The show was set along the Seine at the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Pont Neuf translates to “New Bridge” in English. It is only fitting that Pharrell’s first show was set there alluding to his new beginnings at Louis Vuitton while continuing to remember his predecessor. Pharrell said in a Vogue interview that in the creation of his designs he is “collaborating with Virgil in Spirit, our brother.”
The pieces that stood out to me the most were the brightly colored Speedy bags. The classic Louis Vuitton Speedy is one of the most well known bags seen on the arms of socialites, business women, and celebrities dating back to Audrey Hepburn. However, as time went on counterfeit Speedy bags started popping up specifically at the OG dupe spot which is New York’s Canal street. If you’ve never been to Canal street picture this: lines of vendors with designer counterfeit bags laid out on the sidewalk right next to the NY trash bins. Though in all honesty, to non-bag educated eye the dupes are strikingly identical; however, usually with one or two qualities slightly off when compared to the real version.
Canal Street Speedy bags started popping up in bright colors that Louis Vuitton did not offer. Walking around New York with a bright colored speedy was a dead giveaway that it was a fake because Speedys at that time only came in classic brown leather color…that is until Pharrell came to town!
It’s quite a genius idea to create actual Speedy bags that pay homage to the Canal street dupes which alludes to William’s understanding that everyone has to start somewhere and build there way to the top.
Pharrell’s first collection shows that he is reinventing the way we think of fashion, pay homage to the past, and continue to pave the way to the future.
@vogue.com
