Paris Fashion Week looks to the future with the debut of Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams made his debut as artistic director for Louis Vuitton on Tuesday – Copyright AFP/JULIEN DE ROSA File

Olga Nedbaeva and Eric Randolph

Multi-talented star Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton debut is the hot ticket to Paris Fashion Week which begins on Tuesday, seen as a watershed moment in the evolution of the multi-billion dollar industry.

The acclaimed musician, DJ and producer is taking over as artistic director for the acclaimed French brand, hoping to continue the shift to US streetwear that helped it achieve revenue of more than 20 billion euros ($22 billion) for the first time last year.

Williams offered up teasers on social media, sharing a photo of herself in front of the Orsay Museum featuring a giant billboard for singer Rihanna, heavily pregnant and sporting several colorful LV bags.

“This is unprecedented for a label at this level — a designer arrives with the first menswear campaign featuring a woman… He gives us an initial taste,” says Pierre Alexandre M’Pele, editor of GQ France.

The 50-year-old faces a mammoth challenge filling the shoes of Virgil Abloh, the former Kanye West sidekick who breathed new life into streetwear-infused Louis Vuitton before his tragic early death from cancer in 2021.

But Williams has long been a red carpet sensation, known for bold outfits that go far beyond the usual hip-hop style, and a string of collaborations with Chanel, Moncler and Tiffany — as well as Louis Vuitton.

“Williams has lived in hip-hop, and looked to the future, for more than 20 years, a valuable perspective for the luxury menswear world that has absorbed hip-hop and looks forward to knowing what comes next,” the New York Times wrote. after his appointment.

– ‘Much more creative’ –

Williams’ arrival comes at a time when men’s fashion feels like the more interesting side of the industry.

“Men’s fashion took years to find fertile ground for evolution, but now it is more visible than women’s clothing,” says fashion consultant Pascaline Wilhelm.

“The way gender, masculinity and femininity are being questioned today allows her to be much more creative without falling into caricatures,” he added.

One of the newcomers making a mark is Burc Akyol, a French-Turkish designer who is joining official fashion week for the first time, appearing just before Williams on Tuesday.

The label, which was formed in 2018 after internships with Dior and Balenciaga, has drawn endorsements from Cate Blanchett and Cardi B with its elegant, non-gendered style.

“There are some talents in Paris who are following this non-gendered fashion idea. Or at least the clothing is genderless,” said M’Pel.

Not that this should be seen as entirely a modern phenomenon, he added. “Several centuries ago, men wore dresses and high heels.”

One big name not returning this week is Saint Laurent.

Its artistic director Anthony Vaccarello made a surprise appearance at Paris’ final menswear week for the first time, but prefers to stay away from major fashion shows and give one-off shows in places like Berlin, Malibu and Venice.

Celine designer Hedi Slimane, considered one of the most influential names in menswear, also likes to get to his own pace, and is holding his next Paris catwalk show a few weeks after everyone else on July 3.