Pharrell Is Taking Over Louis Vuitton. Here’s Everything We Know So Far

The storied producer has quite the eye, but can he lead a major fashion label?

Published February 20, 2023

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Although Louis Vuitton has quite the legacy, its clothing collections are rather recent, at least in the grand scheme of things. The first ready-to-wear Louis Vuitton clothing collection debuted in 1997, under the direction of then Creative Director Marc Jacobs (1997-2013). Since then, several designers have followed in his footsteps, each overseeing the evolution of the men’s lines: Kim Jones (2011-2018) and Virgil Abloh (2018-2021).

Jacobs laid the foundation; Jones, who now runs Dior, built on it; and Abloh took it to new heights. As such, when Abloh passed, Louis Vuitton waited patiently to fill his role. Plus, since his terminal cancer was kept mostly under wraps, even to the higher ups at Louis Vuitton, reports suggested, they took time to rightfully grieve his loss.

“We are all shocked by this terrible news,” Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy, said in a statement on the day of Abloh’s death.

Finding Virgil Abloh’s Successor

Finding someone fit to assume his role was no small feat, especially since Louis Vuitton became so engrossing under his guidance. He was a graduate school-trained architect capable of captivating the masses, in a discipline he didn’t study, to boot. But he knew the “culture” and what it wanted, which made Louis Vuitton the center of attention, all year round.

Above all else, though, Abloh opened doors — not just for his collaborators but his successor, too. He was the first Black artistic director at Louis Vuitton, a milestone met in the company’s 164th year.

“Someone said [my appointment at Louis Vuitton] felt like [Barack] Obama getting elected President — like the same epiphany. We got that it was possible, but we didn’t think [it would happen]. When it’s official, it’s different,” he famously told WWD in an interview.

Pharrell Joins Louis Vuitton as Artistic Director, Men’s

Now, it’s officially happening again. Celebrity producer, fashion designer and philanthropist Pharrell Williams will take over as mens’ artistic director, making his official debut during Paris Fashion Week in June 2024. For fans of Skateboard P, this announcement comes as no surprise — they know he can do it. But for designers by trade, this is a worrying trend.

Plenty immediately wondered why Louis Vuitton picked Pharrell over the other names that were purportedly tied to the open position — like KidSuper’s Colm Dillane, who just did a one-off capsule for the brand, or eponymous designers like Grace Wales Bonner, Martine Rose or Telfar Clemens, who each run labels of their own but have collaborated with brands like Nike, Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger, to name a few.

What Does This Mean for LVMH?

Pharrell is obviously a higher profile person, with millions of followers across his social profiles, plenty of other businesses to his name (Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream, Human Made, with Nigo, Humanrace and his myriad Adidas collabs) and hundreds of hit records in his discography. But what he can do for the fashion house remains to be seen. One can infer, however, they want him to remain a multi-hyphenate.

“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,” Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari said in a statement. “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton toward a new and very exciting chapter.”

What exactly is that new chapter, per se? Writer and brand strategist Clayton Chambers says new might not be the right term, at least not for LV.

“Ultimately this move is further evidence of how traditional European fashion houses are thinking about the role of creative director / designer,” he says. “Louis Vuitton became known as of late for going against the grain, and appointing Pharrell to this role shows how they’re thinking about the future of luxury and commerce, which is why they want someone who can curate and connect the dots across art, music, entertainment and fashion.”

Does this spell the introduction of a Louis Vuitton skincare line? Will LVMH buy his brand, Humanrace? Will Pharrell work hand in hand with Kenzo director, and close friend, Nigo? Are Pharrell’s prior partnerships in the luxury space — Chanel Pharrell, Joopiter, etc. — foreshadowing? In the near term, there will be plenty of speculation. To truly know, though, you’ll need a front row seat at next June’s Paris runway show.