After Virgil Abloh's death in 2021, Louis Vuitton hired music producer Pharrell Williams to oversee the artistic direction of menswear designs.
On Instagram, Louis Vuitton welcomed the musician to their prestigious fashion brand and lavished him with love.
“Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome Pharrell Williams as its new Men’s Creative Director. His first collection for Louis Vuitton will be revealed next June during Men's Fashion Week in Paris.
“Pharrell Williams is a visionary whose creative universes expand from music to art, and to fashion – establishing himself as a cultural global icon over the past twenty years. The way in which he breaks boundaries across the various worlds he explores, aligns with Louis Vuitton’s status as a Cultural Maison, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneer spirit, and entrepreneurship.
“I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.” – Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO,” they announced.
A Virginia Beach native, Williams grew up with Chad Hugo and was a founding member of the hip-hop and R&B duo the Neptunes. By the late 1990s, he had become the lead vocalist of N.E.R.D.
Additionally, Williams has strong fashion credentials and was the co-founder of the fashion streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club; he also collaborated with Adidas, Moncler, and Chanel.