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Louis Vuitton Men's has made a bold move in the world of luxury menswear by appointing global celebrity and fashion aficionado, Pharrell Williams, as its new Men's Artistic Director. The announcement marks a new era of celebrity fashion designers and is set to shake up the industry. Williams will take over the position previously held by Virgil Abloh, who sadly passed away in 2021. The debut collection of Pharrell's designs is set to be unveiled in Paris in June, and Louis Vuitton's Chairman and CEO, Pietro Beccari, has characterized Williams' appointment as a homecoming.
Pharrell has a long history of collaborating with luxury brands, beginning with Louis Vuitton in 2004 when he worked with then-Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs on a line of sunglasses. His collaborations with Chanel and Moncler have been equally impressive, and he has a longstanding partnership with Adidas Originals. Williams has also recently launched a skincare line, Humanrace. His hyper-modern sense of style has made him a fashion icon, and his evolving sensibility has predicted the rise of gender-neutral clothing.
Pharrell's appointment to Louis Vuitton Men's is the latest in a series of moves by LVMH to turn its luxury brands into global pop cultural movements. LVMH's collaboration with Yayoi Kusama saw cities around the world blanketed in the Japanese designer's polka dots. The most recent Louis Vuitton Men's show featured a Rosalía performance that had little to do with the clothes, but everything to do with creating a massive social media moment.
Pharrell's promotion to Men's Artistic Director is a major coup for Louis Vuitton and is in line with LVMH's strategy to employ high-profile figures to help transform its luxury brands into global pop cultural movements. As Men's Artistic Director, Pharrell will be responsible for producing two collections a year comprising bags, accessories, and ready-to-wear. The announcement has been met with excitement and enthusiasm by fans of both Pharrell and Louis Vuitton, and it is clear that this appointment will usher in a new era of luxury menswear design.