A First Look At Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton Men’s Debut Collection

Pharrell Williams takes us inside his design studio at LVMH’s Paris headquarters near Pont Neuf ahead of his debut collection for Louis Vuitton Men’s today. Taking us back all the way to the beginning, Williams describes the moment when the stars aligned and he got the call informing him that he got one of the most influential and buzzed-about jobs in fashion.

Speaking of “buzz,” Williams’s nickname for his design team is the “bee hive” and you can catch their excitement as they work towards the big debut. “It takes all kinds of bees to make the sweetest honey,” emphasizes Williams as his team converses behind him. While on paper, Williams is the artistic director at Louis Vuitton Men’s, he stresses that his collections will be for everyone. “It’s menswear, but I design for humans,” Williams explained, “so there is something for everybody.” It fits into the designer’s ethos; after all, the name of his wellness band is Humanrace.

Williams’s first task as artistic director was to take the classic Louis Vuitton motifs, like the monogram and damier checks, and reinterpret them his way. To wit, the maison’s beloved Speedy bag, originally made of top-notch canvas that helps keep its structure and shape, has been reworked in a buttery leather that Williams describes as “pinchable and collapsible.” The new Speedy, now available in an array of bold colors like yellow, blue, red, and green, can be seen on the arm of Rihanna, who stars in the designer’s first LV campaign.

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Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton Men’s Debut Collection

“There are so many other stars in your constellation. Once you realize that the constellation isn’t even your doing, you’re lucky to exist and shine in that moment where the universe has put these things around you to make a sign,” says Williams. “That is how I felt with this appointment. I woke up and got that call, so I’m honored.” He adds, “I’m continuing to give reverence to the universe for sending this my way.”

Watch as Pharrell Williams gives us a first glimpse of the Louis Vuitton spring 2024 menswear collection. To see every look from the collection, tune in on the Vogue Runway site and app at 9:30 p.m. CET and 3:30 p.m. ET.

This article was originally published on Vogue.com