What is it that now celebrities are trendsetters, powering the course of new vogues? From Honey Dijon collaborating with Acne Studios and Erykah Badu with Marni, the creative helm at fashion houses is falling into the hands of A-listers, with the most astounding latest example of Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton.
It’s the third day of Paris Fashion Week (running this year between June 20 to 25) and there’s no doubt that everyone’s attention is on Pharrell, who has stormed this fervent week way before it even started. From the moment he was appointed as LV’s new creative director in February, after the passing of Virgil Abloh, Pharrell has given all kinds of signs that he’s a man of many businesses and not just a celebrity.
Expectations about his grand debut rocketed when he shared a sneak peek of his much anticipated first collection for Louis Vuitton, featuring a photo of himself in front of a billboard featuring the late pregnant Rihanna last Thursday, along with the announcement of several events happening the day after day, during a week that gathers the most renowned personalities of the fashion scene, including many, many celebrities — the perfect occasion to show off his dominion.
So let’s have a look at Pharrell’s agenda, which started on the first day of the fashion week, with a public preview of his celebrated “Just Phriends” (running from June 20 to 24). The high-profile auction, curated in partnership with Sarah Adelman, features a stellar collection of 62 unique, rare artworks by artists such as Takashi Murakami and Futura. The online auction is already available on JOOPITER.com, but the offline site at the Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery has been a venue for personalities like Tyler the Creator and A$AP Ferg.
The same night of the opening of the preview, Pharrell made his grand entrance into the world of high fashion, presenting his first collection ever for Louis Vuitton at the Point Neuf over the Seine: a collection of pixelated and militant prints found home in relaxed cuts. Akin to Virgil’s time at LV, Pharrell’s tenure is delivering pop-culture savvy and what seems to be a commercially successful collection.
But it doesn’t end up there. Pharrell is taking the time and space to honour his longstanding partnership with Adidas, propelling the return of the brand into the European market. From today til June 24, Pharrell and Adidas are hosting a pop-up store at the Samba Cafe, where three new colorways of the Humanrace™ will be exclusively released. The concept is to offer a limited quantity of Samba Tones every day, therefore — hurry up if you want a piece made by Pharrell!
And last but not least, tomorrow, June 23rd, Pharrell is releasing a new t-shirt to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Billionaire Boys Club (BBC), Pharrell’s luxurious streetwear brand. Anything else? Probably yes, as Pharrell’s multifaceted agenda of various events is making clear that his presence extends beyond the confines of a brand and a fashion week, a confirmation of his well-entrenched network of businesses and celebrity dominion. Is that good or bad? That’s to be decided. In the meantime, the question is, is Pharrell the next Pharaoh of pop culture?
*Header: Sam Hellmann for The New York Times
