Back in November of 2021, we lost one of the greatest creators in sneaker history. Virgil Abloh was the creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton and one of the best Nike collaborators. Virgil’s brand, Off-White, has some of the most coveted products on the market, including the Nike x Off-White sneakers. But now, after the great loss of a great mind, Louis Vuitton named Pharrell Williams creative director of menswear.
So, here’s why we think this is both controversial and possibly brilliant.
For starters, Pharrell Williams is one of Adidas’ strongest, long-running collaborators. And, after Adidas ended its partnership with Kanye, Pharrell might be their only hope at salvation. When people started selling off their Yeezys, this sparked a debate pitting Pharrells VS Yeezys. And, when Adidas announced it’ll be marketing unbranded Yeezys, this was just fuel to the fire! That’s one side.
On the flip side, Louis Vuitton names Pharrell Williams creative director begs another question. You see, Louis Vuitton has also collaborated with the Swoosh on many projects. This includes the LV Air Force 1 collection in 2021. So, does this mean that we can expect Louis Vuitton Adidas sneakers? Or, will LV stop creating sneakers with the Swoosh? Let’s get more details!
Louis Vuitton Names Pharrell Williams Creative Director
So, Louis Vuitton names Pharrell Williams creative director of menswear. This is the same position that Virgil Abloh formerly had. This comes 14 months after we lost Virgil Abloh. The first collection after the new appointment will come next June during the Men’s Fashion Week in Paris.
The brand recently shared this statement on Instagram:
“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 brand wrote on Instagram. “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.”
But, what can we expect after Louis Vuitton names Pharrell Williams creative director? Well, this isn’t Pharrells first rodeo. He co-owns the streetwear label, Human Made. He designed a collection with Chanel in 2019 and a collection with Tiffany in 2022. In 2004 he and Nigo collaborated with Louis Vuitton to create Millionaire sunglasses. AND, he also worked with Louis Vuitton on another line of sunglasses in 2008.
Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO, also said,
“I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Artistic Director. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”
View this post on Instagram
Before Louis Vuitton Names Pharrell Williams Creative Director
Louis Vuitton operated for 14 months without a permanent menswear creative director to pay tribute to Virgil Abloh’s collections. There was a recent exhibit in Miami featuring a huge collection of Virgil’s best work, the Code c/o Architecture.
Trying to fill Virgil Abloh’s shoes as creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton is no easy feat. in Fact, the appointment came as a wild card. Most people thought that the fashion powerhouse would give the position to Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner, or Samuel Ross. But, we do expect a lot of great work to come from Pharrell Williams and Louis Vuitton in the future.
Whether there will be an Adidas x Louis Vuitton collaboration in the future is still unclear. But, this might also be the boost Adidas was looking for – especially after their $300+ MILLION loss in 2023. Either way, we’ll keep you posted here on our blog and Instagram @aiobot!