American musician and fashion entrepreneur Pharrell Williams has been appointed creative director of menswear for Louis Vuitton.
The role was previously occupied by Virgil Abloh, who passed away in November 2021.
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This is the second time a black American designer has held a senior position at a French luxury maison. Abloh made history with his first appointment in March 2018.
The appointment of Williams, a longtime supporter and friend of Abloh, puts an end to months of speculation about who will be next for the coveted role.
“Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome Pharrell Williams as its new Men’s Creative Director. His first collection for Louis Vuitton will be revealed next June during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris,” the brand wrote on Instagram and in a press release, confirming the news.
Continued the statement, “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 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.”
Pharrell Williams, a popular music industry figure, is set to be Louis Vuitton’s new men’s creative director to fill the high-profile position left vacant since the death of star designer Virgil Abloh more than a year ago https://t.co/V9E6Ha7kdi pic.twitter.com/C0qXJ69YqY
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 15, 2023
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Former Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Virgil Abloh passed away in November 2021 after a personal battle with cardiovascular sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.He was 41. I was old.
No stranger to the fashion industry, Williams launched his own streetwear line, his Billionaire Boys Club, in 2003 and has worked with many brands including Adidas, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co.
Appropriately, he partnered with Louis Vuitton early on and collaborated with then-designer Marc Jacobs on two accessory lines.
